What does/did your 3yr old do for themselves?

[thewinehasgonetomyhead]

Just wondering really as I’ve suddenly realised how much I do for DD and she’s due to start school next year.

What can your three yr old do for themselves?

We're in the same boat. Um, he takes himself off to the toilet himself and pulls his pants and trousers down and up. Can't dress himself though, except for getting his socks on and occasionally attempting his shoes. He'll walk to preschool with his bag on, and can take his coat off - but on's a bit more challenging.

He's summer born; does that matter? What should I be trying to teach him??

Not a lot! Summer born and I’m also worried about school.

Reluctantly shoes on and off. Cost on and off. Eats fine. Needs help wiping after no 2. No help needed for wee. Can sort of get dressed but needs help but we have time yet.

What do they need to do??

Mine is summer born too. We are pretty much the same as you.

I’m trying to get her to be a little more independent for example hanging her coat up and putting her shoes away. Her nursery told me she’s a little behind in that area, which made me feel pretty shit if I’m honest. I have a 5 month old too so just find it quicker to do things for her when against the clock but I know that doesn’t help anyone in the long run.

Mine does everything but is 3 and 10 months.
She can get clothes out from a drawer, put them on, clean knickers, socks and shoes, brush her hair, clean her teeth, coat, bag etc, butter her toast and put jam on.
I've taught her labels in the clothes indicate the back, so she can put them on the correct way. In fact I'm wondering if she even needs me anymore.
She can't open a bag of crisps though or write her name just yet.

If you’re thinking about getting them ready for school, I’d start with self care skills.

So independent toileting, including wiping and hand washing.

Getting dressed and undressed.

Eating with knife and forks.

Things like that.

Mines 3.5. can dress/undress himself except putting on socks for some reason! Can take himself to the toilet but can't wipe his bum yet. Can put his coat/hat on etc.

Dress herself - underwear, tights, trousers, buttons. Not zips unless I start it for her. Not laces on shoes but can do a buckle. Can put coat on and hang it up. Ok with hats, not seen her use gloves this year yet.

Cleans her teeth but I then also clean them.

Wipes her bottom and washes hands.

Sets table, uses cutlery, serves herself, carries plate to sink after. Pours cereal and milk for herself, pours drinks for herself, can butter bread, can chop veg under supervision.

Pulls duvet up over bed, helps to strip bed weekly, puts dirty clothes in clothes basket and rubbish in bin. Helps to feed cat.

Recognises her name written down, recognises and attempts to write some letters, numerals to 10. Can count much higher and can identify the sound at the start of a word aurally. Can draw a recognisable person.

Can run, use a scooter, jump on a trampoline, jump down from a step, uses alternate feet in stairs.

Goes into her ballet class unaccompanied (from the waiting room), will hand over money to pay for something in the shop, helps me choose things at the supermarket, can talk to adults without prompting eg nurse at the GP surgery.

Summer born (July) 3 year old here. She’s very independent, always has been.
She dresses herself, occasionally needs help with buttons. She hangs her own coat up/takes her shoes off and puts them away when we come into the house.
She toilets independently. I sometimes check her bum if her poo is looser than normal. Washes her own hands etc.
Uses a knife and fork, can pour her own drinks.
She starts off her teeth (electric toothbrush) then I finish them off.
Does general ‘chores’ like putting her clothes in the washing basket, tidied up her toys at the end of the day.
She likes to ‘do it by myself without you helping mummy’!

She doesn't do much at all, she can put her shoes on and off, but thats about it. We're working on getting her to take her pants down on time for the loo, but she's not great at it (fine without pants). She's at Nursery now and they are working hard with her too.

I work with Reception children and they do really need to be able to do toileting themselves, although help with wiping at the beginning is fairly normal. If they can get their clothes on and off, for P.E, that's great, even if it's inside out or back to front. Knowing how to use a knife and fork/lunchbox is also useful, dinner ladies can be spread thin sometimes.

Having said all that, I'm going to work really hard with her for the next year, just to get her up to basics.

My 3yo is in full time pre-school but doesn't start reception until 2019.

She is very independent.

My older DC couldn't / wouldn't / didn't do half of what his sister does at the same age.

DS1 didn’t crack wiping his bottom until about 4.5 (October baby so before school). He could use cutlery (not a knife), dress himself (buttons cause trouble even now at 6) and that was about it.

PE for the first few months of school was obvious as his clothing would be inside out and or back to front afterwards...so I wouldn’t panic about that!

DD1 (4) came home from school today with socks on underneath her tights... she’d had PE and forgotten to take her PE socks off before putting her tights back on!

Ooh, I thought of something useful mine can do! He can tidy up. Now that was a tough nut to crack.

My dd is 3.3 years and I think she's pretty independent, more so than ds at her age. She can;

• go for a wee by herself, wash and dry her hands but still can't wipe her own bum.
• get her coat and shoes on/off and will put them on the shoe rack and hang her coat up.
• she eats well with cutlery but still needs some things cutting up. She will take lids off yogurts, open malt loaves etc herself. She will get herself a bowl, spoon and cereal and pour herself some. She will empty leftover food in the bin and put her plate in the sink.
• she will get herself a tissue, blow her nose and then put the tissue in the bin.
• she likes to help around during the house and will help make and strip beds, empty bins etc
• she can dress and undress herself and does so several times a day!

she can dress and undress herself and does so several times a day!

I think the reason mine is so good at dressing/undressing it’s because she’s been obsessed with dressing up since about 18 months old and I’m too mean to change her multiple times a day, so she had to learn to do it herself!

I have just realised I need to get my DD2 (3, summerborn) to do a LOT more! She is much less independent than her big sister and I have babied her a bit as I'm not having any more... oh dear.

She won't go to school until 2020 though. I have time.

Feeds herself, dresses and undresses herself, goes of to the toilet, can get a snack from fridge by herself, put on shoes, walk far places without buggy etc. Speaks very clearly and full sentences, counts etc

Mine is only just three so will start preschool next term but school is a long way off still.

She can get undressed but it dressed yet. She can get her shoes on but not always the right feet.

She can lay the table and empty most of the dishwasher. She can feed herself using a knife and fork.

She can mostly explain clearly what she needs / wants.

She can go to the toilet on her own but needs help wiping number twos still. She can wash her hands where she can reach the tap.

Academically she is way behind DC1 who knew numbers up to 100, the whole alphabet and some words. She knows numbers to 10 and most letters only. She'll be much older when she starts school though so I'm not worried.

Mine was 3 in May and definitely can't wipe her own bum- her arms just aren't long enough yet!
She can put shoes on and off, coat on and off and hang up.
Can do buttons and can almost start her own zip.
Can point to and count up to 7.
Speaks very very well and is confident talking to adults and children.
Washes up when we let her!

3 next week.
Toilet and washes hands.
Pours out porridge, milk, stirs and microwaves (I'm watching).
Spreads butter etc.
Washes up if I let her.
Dresses, undresses, puts clothes away but not always. Does put dirty stuff in the laundry basket or washing machine.
Does shoes, coats, gloves etc but can't yet do buttons or zips.
Sweeps up if she drops something.
Asks to hoover and polish windows.
I brush her teeth.
I control the tv.