Ohio Department of Health Ohio.gov

Your Child’s Progress - Year 5

What’s Going on with Your Five-Year-Old?

Your Preschooler's Development

Your five-year-old should be able to do many of the following:

  • Sing a song.
  • Talk about things they did during the day.
  • Draw a person with three different body parts (head, arms and legs).
  • Tell the difference between fantasy and reality.
  • Give their first and last name when asked.
  • Build a 10-block tower.
  • Hop on one foot.
  • Throw a ball overhead.
  • Ride a tricycle.

Nutrition and Your Preschooler

  • Skim or low-fat milk is best.  You can also give your child other dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream (ice milk).
  • Aim for four servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables daily.
  • Offer water to your child when he or she is thirsty instead of soda or juice.
  • Make sure your child is getting plenty of exercise.
  • Your child will need three meals a day and at least one snack.
  • Put your child to bed at the same time every night so that they get used to having a schedule.
  • Let your five-year old help in the kitchen.  It will help them to learn about kitchen safety.
  • Have your child brush their teeth or rinse with water after meals.
  • Make sure your child gets into the habit of eating breakfast everyday, especially once they have started kindergarten.

This page last updated on 3/17/08.