The age of 4-5 years can already be safely considered senior preschool, because some children begin to attend school at 6 years old, and others at 7. Special attention must be paid to the development of a child at this age, because in the process of learning everything that surrounds us, our son/daughter is also getting ready for school. Of course, every parent cares about the development of their little man and treats this process with great responsibility, but it is not enough to just play with him, answer children’s questions clearly, etc. It is also necessary to understand whether everything is being done correctly, whether the child is developing correctly. If something is missing somewhere, then it will be very difficult for him at school. The article presents the main indicators of the development of a 4-5 year old child, and at the end of it you will find a link where you can download (for free) tests to test the knowledge and skills of your little one.

Indicators of the development of knowledge and skills of a child at 4-5 years old

Examples of test pages for the development of a 4-5 year old child (download link at the end of the article):

1. Indicators of the development of thinking, attention and memory :
   • be able to find inconsistencies and similarities between two pictures, as well as errors in them;
   • arrange several pictures (5-7) in the correct sequence;
   • remember 5-6 different objects at a time, as well as the content of a specific plot drawing;
   • correctly select a pair for each item, explain the connection between them;
   • understand and explain the purpose: hospital, store, hairdresser, etc., as well as choose the right shoes for a walk, depending on the weather;
   • see, find patterns in the arrangement of several objects;
   • solve simple problems, for example, logically choose an extra or necessary item from three or more;
   • already know all the colors and their names, as well as their shades;
   • name the seasons, all days of the week and components of the day in the correct sequence;
   • know your country (of residence), its capital, as well as the professions of your parents;
   • know the basic rules of behavior on the street: cross the road only in places specially equipped for this, avoid manholes, throw all garbage into trash bins, etc.;
   • understand what is bad and what is good;
2. Indicators of development of mathematical skills/abilities :
   • name the numbers from 1 to 10 in the correct order and in reverse order;
   • understand which number is missing;
   • recognize the numbers he sees and write them correctly;
   • know what a number consists of and be able to decompose/compose it;
   • correctly understand the difference between numbers and numbers;
   • be able to compare different quantities and understand the meaning of the signs “more than”, “less than”, “equal”, as well as compare several objects by thickness, height, length and width;
   • equalize groups among themselves according to the number of objects in them;
   • correctly pronounce ordinal numbers;
   • solve simple subtraction/addition problems;
   • correctly navigate and understand “left”, “right”, “down”, “up”, etc.;
   • know the basic figures, recognize them and know the correct names;
3. Speech development indicators :
   • speak with expression, slowly, and pronounce all letters correctly;
   • know the objects surrounding him, as well as the basic actions of animals and people;
   • know generalizing words for objects belonging to one group: furniture, fruit, transport, etc.;
   • correctly pronounce nouns based on their number (singular or plural);
   • independently describe an object, and also be able to find it by specific characteristics: oval, yellow, edible, etc.;
   • understand the similar meaning of words and the opposite, and also be able to select the appropriate ones;
   • understand the meanings of prepositions: in, under, on, about, etc.;
   • know people's professions and what they do;
   • be able to conduct a conversation by asking and answering questions;
   • recite several poems, songs, etc. by heart;
   • be able to write a short story based on a picture;
   • coordinate words by gender, case and number;
   • be able to independently come up with the ending of a fairy tale/story;
   • identify sounds in words (first and last), and also understand how a sound differs from a letter;
   • already read short words syllable by syllable, and also be able to divide a word into syllables.
4. Indicators of graphic skills development :
   • be able to draw with different tools: crayons, pencils, paints, etc.;
   • draw simple shapes, lines of different lengths and directions;
   • be able to trace, hatch and copy a drawing.

Here, in fact, are the main indicators of child development at 4-5 years old. You can check whether your treasure knows and can do everything using special tests, which can be downloaded for free in PDF format using the link provided. With their help, you can get a reason for joy, as well as an understanding of which moments to pay special attention to.

Diagnostics of the development of children 4–5 years old will help you independently assess the level of mental development of your child and find out what still needs to be worked on. Diagnostics involves nine small tests that will take you very little time. If the diagnostic results please you, then continue to work with your child as you have it, your child has everything necessary for full development. If the diagnosis shows a low level of development of your child, then you should conduct a more in-depth diagnosis to determine the reasons for the low level of development of a particular mental process. In this case, it is better to contact a psychologist who will professionally conduct an in-depth diagnosis and give appropriate recommendations.

Target: assessment of the degree of formation of the perception of shape and spatial relationships.

Procedure. Take the corresponding figures, which you will probably find among your child’s toys. Place this box in front of your child. Give your child insert figures.

Instructions:“Look carefully, each figure in this house has its own window through which it can enter. Look carefully at the figure and find the window that is intended for it.”

Criteria for evaluation:

• The child completes the task based on the visual correlation of figures with slits - 2 points.
• The child does not always use visual correlation; he often tries it on and applies the insert figure to the appropriate slot - 1 point.

Target: identifying the maturity of the concept of quantity, the state of motor skills, the presence of persistence of interest.

Procedure. The child is offered a matryoshka: “Take the matryoshka apart,” “Give me the biggest matryoshka, the smallest,” “Rank them by height,” “Assemble the matryoshka.”

Criteria for evaluation

• The child understands the instructions and assembles the nesting doll by visual correlation - 2 points.
• The child understands the instructions, but assembles the nesting doll by trying it on - 1 point.
• The child does not cope with the task - 0 points.

Target: identifying the level of development of holistic perception and the ability for visual synthesis.

Procedure. Take a picture with a large image of an object familiar to the child, cut it into 4 parts, as shown in the picture. Offer your child these four parts of the picture. The parts are laid out so that they not only need to be moved together, but given the desired spatial position. The adult says: “In front of you is a picture cut into pieces. What do you think is shown in this picture? What do you get when you put the pieces together?” The child must say what is shown in the cut picture. If he cannot understand what will happen as a result of adding the parts, the adult suggests: “Add the parts and let’s see what is drawn in the picture.”

Criteria for evaluation

• The child names what is drawn in the picture and completes the task based on visual correlation - 2 points.
• The child does not name what is drawn on the cut picture, completes the task by trial - 1 point.
• The child does not cope with the task - 0 points.

Target: study of the volume of figurative memory.

Procedure. The child is offered a sheet with pictures of eight objects. Instructions:“Look carefully at the picture, examine and name the objects drawn, try to remember them.” After some time, the adult removes the sheet and invites the child to remember what was depicted on it.

Criteria for evaluation

• The child remembered at least 5 pictures - 2 points.
• The child remembered 3-4 pictures - 1 point.
• The child remembered less than 3 pictures - 0 points.

Target: assessment of the ability to understand instructions, stability, concentration, attention span, as well as purposefulness of activity and characteristics of visual perception.

Procedure. There is a drawing in front of the child. Instructions:“Look - a girl and a boy are holding a ball and a kite by strings. You need to determine who is holding what. To do this, you need to guide along the string with a pointer. You can’t tear the pointer off the string.” After completing this task, the adult places another drawing in front of the child and asks: “Show me which path the dog and the squirrel will run to their home.”

Criteria for evaluation

• The child completes the task and can trace the path to the desired object independently - 2 points.
• The child understands the task, but makes mistakes due to inability to concentrate; he is corrected with the help of an adult (“Look again, be careful”) - 1 point.
• The child did not complete the task - 0 points.

Goals: identifying the ability to establish the identity, similarity and difference of objects based on visual analysis; assessment of the degree of development of observation, stability of attention, focus of perception.

Procedure. The child is shown pictures. “Look, there are different flowers painted here. Among them you need to find the same one as this one (the adult points to the flower placed on the left in the frame). ...Now find the same mushroom (as in the frame).

Criteria for evaluation

• The child completes both tasks correctly - 2 points.
• A child completes one task without the help of an adult - 1 point.
• The child does not cope with the task - 0 points.

Target: identifying the level of development of visual-figurative thinking, the ability to group pictures, select generalizing words.

Procedure. The child is shown 4 houses (see picture). Each house has 4 windows. In the attic of the first house there is a picture of a piece of utensils (a plate), of the second - a vegetable (carrot), of the third - a fruit (orange), and of the fourth - a piece of clothing (jacket). Then the child is offered pictures one by one: “Find the house where this picture lives.” The first picture is posted by adults. After the child places all the pictures, he is asked the question: “Why do these pictures live together in the same house?” (in the electronic version the question will be: “Why are these pictures in the same row?”)

Possible help from an adult: if the child does not immediately understand the task, the adult asks: “Why do you think the carrots and cucumbers ended up in the same house? How to call them in one word?

Criteria for evaluation

• The child correctly groups pictures and selects a generalizing word independently - 2 points.
• The child completes the task with the help of an adult and does not name all generalizing words - 1 point.
• The child cannot complete the task even with the help of an adult - 0 points.

Evaluation of results

High level - 14-18 points.
Average level - 9-13 points.
Low level - 0-8 points.

Have your child take simple tests. This will be a new type of game for him. In the meantime, he will “play”, you will do research and decipher the inner world of your baby. What is this world like? What makes a child happy? What's upsetting? Does he have fears and insecurities? Does he like to fantasize? Does he experience loneliness in his family?

Test "my family"

Children have their own ideas about the family, their own theory about the “unit of society.” Want to know what your child thinks about relationships with their immediate family? Give him a sketchbook sheet, colored pencils, enough time and ask: “Draw our family.”

◈ It is advisable that you are not nearby when the child is completing the task. He should be free and relaxed, he should not have any instructions: draw as best as possible so that he likes it.

◈ Let it be fun for the baby, and for you - material for research.

◈ If your child is in a bad mood or has witnessed a family conflict the day before, postpone the test for a more appropriate moment.

◈ If a child asks questions like: “How to draw?”, “What to draw?” or “Where to start?”, this suggests that, in essence, he does not know what “family” is. This is a pebble for your garden. It is necessary to find out and eliminate the reasons for such ignorance. Of course, this is a job for the whole family.

◈ Be sure to discuss the finished drawing with your child, even if “everything is clear to you.” It is important to speak out loud, clarify some points, the baby will help you with this and will willingly share his thoughts. Ask questions: “Who is this? Who's nearby? How many fingers does he have on his hands?

DECODING THE TEST

1. Is everything in place? Before you begin to interpret the test, you should know that there is nothing superfluous or random in a child’s drawing. Everything is important, everything carries its own meaning and has an emotional coloring (pencil pressure and color as well). If a child did not include one of the family members in the drawing, he did not just “forget.” He displaces this person at the subconscious level. How deep is it and what are the reasons? Perhaps these relationships can be adjusted on your own, or perhaps you will need the help of a specialist. If a child forgot to depict himself in the drawing, at least two reasons indicate this: “nobody needs me here” or “I live well without this company.”

2. Image size. A simple law works here: the larger the character drawn, the more significant it is for the child. If your brother or sister turns out to be giants, and mom and dad turn out to be midgets, admit that the parents are currently playing a secondary role for the baby.

3. Strangers among their own. It happens that children finish drawing fictional characters or even equipment. In their minds, they are full members of the family. These could be friends, neighbors, animals (real and non-existent), fairy-tale characters, cars. The presence of such characters indicates that the child lacks communication, understanding, and emotional closeness in the family, and he is looking for it outside the home.

4. Higher-lower. Notice how the characters are positioned in the picture. The higher the image, the more power. Accordingly, the lower the image is on the sheet, the less rights and powers it has. You have the opportunity to find out who runs the show in your family (if you don’t already know about it).

5. Distance between characters. This is an important detail in a child’s drawing, which indicates the psychological distance between the child and different family members. The close proximity of the characters to each other or their touching speaks of mutual understanding between relatives.

6. What am I like? If a child draws himself small in the corner of the picture, this indicates his low self-esteem. If he painted himself as a giant, occupying most of the space, he has a good opinion of himself, his beloved. In principle, preschool children often have inflated self-esteem: after all, they are “princes and princesses.” Over time, when children's egocentrism dissolves, this patina of “chosenness” will be erased in most children.

7. Pets. If your child has drawn your four-legged family member next to him, do not be offended: this is his dearest “person” and closest friend. After all, he doesn’t demand anything, doesn’t force you to wash your hands before dinner, put away toys, doesn’t scold you for dirty pants, etc. He doesn’t need anything, he just wags his tail with joy and gives his animal, but such unselfish love. Too much emotional attachment to pets may indicate that the child does not receive enough attention from people.

8. Alarm button. The character who is drawn with great emphasis, circled several times, shaded, causes the “artist” the greatest anxiety. Anxiety can be triggered by anyone in the family. Often adults (especially the older generation) unconsciously set their own programs and taboos, and for a child they can carry negative information and fear. Anxiety can also be expressed by timid pencil movements, weak lines and strokes.

9. Head and eyes. The biggest-headed member of your family is the smartest. Pay special attention to the mirror of a person’s soul—the eyes. In psychology, this part of the face reflects our emotional state, it is the source of tears, sadness or joy. If the eyes are huge, this is a cry for help, high anxiety, a need for affection and support. If, on the contrary, they are small (in the form of dots or slits), here you can read a ban on expressing emotions, restraint, fear of expressing oneself, weakness, uncertainty, depression.

10. Ears. Huge ears indicate a desire to listen to other people's opinions. The one with the biggest ears is the most docile and submissive. “Public opinion”, criticism of others, praise or censure are important to him. If a child draws himself with big ears, this may reflect the qualities of an auditory person: he perceives the world through hearing, and this is his leading information channel. In addition, large ears can indicate alertness and anxiety: the baby, like a radar, constantly picks up suspicious information about himself and the world.

11. Mouth. Pay attention to the size of the mouth. If it is large, open, shaded, this is a source of screaming, resentment, dissatisfaction, aggression, and expressed aggression. By and large, this is even good: it is better to express and throw out your feelings than to accumulate and hold them back. If the mouth is drawn as a small line, a dot, or is completely absent, it means that the character has a taboo on expressing his emotions, primarily negative ones. Such a person is afraid to express his own opinion, relies on the will of others, it is better for him to carry out orders than to take the initiative into his own hands. The presence of teeth indicates that the character is defending himself by attacking.

12. Neck. This part of the body is the link between the mind and feelings. In the Japanese spiritual tradition, for example, there is the concept of “kokoro” - the place where the mind and heart meet, their harmonious fusion. Perhaps the neck is this place. If it is drawn, it means that the character has common sense, a rational mind, will over feelings. The absence of a neck is a sign of uncontrolled emotional manifestations.

13. Hands. These are our guides in the world of relationships, achievements, goals, aspirations. With them we “test” our capabilities, with their help we realize our abilities and talents. Pay attention to the presence and number of fingers on your hands. If they exist, this speaks of self-confidence and the ability to express oneself as much as possible in the world. The fingers of the left hand reflect connections within the family circle, the fingers of the right hand - outside of it. Large hands speak of open-mindedness, courage and power.

14. Legs. This is our support, confidence, strength, firmness. Strong legs with large feet indicate that the character is well grounded and feels powerful support of his kind. Thin legs hanging in the air indicate isolation from the world, fear of the unknown, and lack of self-confidence. In addition, the legs symbolize the opening of new spaces, the possibility of movement in life, change and transformation in the mental space of a person.

A person’s eyes, if you really look into them and not casually, carry a lot of information. Look into your child's eyes as often as possible. Do this not with the goal of “come on, tell the truth,” but with love. When you talk to your baby, sit down and get down to his level. This will help you establish a child-child relationship rather than a parent-child relationship. The more often your “inner child” gets in touch with your baby, the more chances you will have to understand the nature of children's consciousness and accept it as it is.

Sad fact

The results of numerous tests by psychologists indicate that modern children are increasingly lazy to invent, think creatively, fantasize and dream. If you ask a child to draw something just like that, he will most often draw primitive things: dots, sticks, circles. There is an explanation for this. Children are strongly focused on evaluation from adults, on results and praise, rather than on the process for pleasure.

Before starting the test, make sure that your child is not tired, not hungry and is in a good mood. If your child doesn’t want to answer questions now, don’t force him, wait for another moment. At 4 years old, try to ask questions playfully. Please remember that the test results are for guidance only.

TEST

1. Enter your details:
   • What's your name?
   • What is your last name?
   • Are you a boy or a girl?
   • How old are you?

1. What, in one word, can all these items be called:

We put “+” if the child answered all the questions correctly.

1. Count the objects (there should be exactly 4 items):

We put “+” if the child counted correctly, and without prompting.

1. What shape are these objects? (only circle and square):

We put “+” if the child answered 2 questions correctly.

1. Say a phrase to your child: “Listen carefully 9 , 3 , 7 , repeat".

We put “+” if the child repeated all three numbers correctly.

Result:

You have everything « + » – the child’s development corresponds to his age.

If there is one « - » – test your child using the test for 3 years. If there is not a single minus in the test for children 3 years old - the child’s development corresponds to his age. If there is at least one « - » – you should show your baby to a child psychologist.

If two or more « - » - your child develops somewhat differently than his peers. Consult a child psychologist, he will help you choose a specific approach to teaching your baby.

There are wonderful educational games on our website!

Question No. 1 – check the child’s general awareness.

Question number 2 - tests the ability to understand what is happening around.

Question No. 3 – tests the level of mathematical thinking.

Question No. 4 – checks the child’s level of perception.

Question No. 5 – is responsible for checking your baby’s attention span.

Select the item that matches your child's chronological age. Moreover, if the baby is four years and five months old, select the item corresponding to four years. In the questionnaire, put pluses next to those questions to which you can give positive answers, and minuses if the answers are negative.

4 YEARS

General awareness. State your first name, last name, gender; Ask a question about gender in the following form: “Are you a girl or a boy?”; (positive assessment - everything is named correctly).

General understanding. Name several displayed objects and a generalizing word (how can this be called in one word?); positive assessment - the generalizing word is correctly named (shoes, clothes, dishes, transport).

Concentration of attention. Name three numbers (listen carefully, now I will name three numbers: 3, 8, 5 - repeat); positive score – all three numbers are named correctly.

Practical mathematical thinking. Count 4 objects (count how many cubes are in front of you); positive assessment - counted correctly and without prompting.

Inductive Reasoning. Knowledge of the simplest geometric shapes: circle and square (what shape is a ball?, what shape is a window?); positive assessment – ​​out of three questions, two correct answers.

Experience of perception. Compare the length of the lines (prepare a set of three lines or strips of paper of different lengths, show the child two of them three times. Question: “Which one is longer?”); positive score – with two correct answers.

5 YEARS

General awareness. What time of year is it now, time of day (morning, afternoon, evening); positive assessment - everything is named correctly.

General understanding. Understanding the simplest cause-and-effect relationships (why does mom wash clothes?); one question is asked; positive mark - if the answer is correct.

Concentration of attention. Using knowledge about abstract geometric shapes (look carefully and name what round and square objects there are around us); two correctly named items – a positive assessment.

Practical mathematical thinking. Count several objects going through ten (up to 15); (count how many cubes there are).

Inductive Reasoning. Name the purpose of household items (what is a table, chair, pen, pan for?). Immediately show three objects or pictures with their images); positive assessment – ​​the purpose of two items is correctly explained.

Experience of perception. Distinguishing primary colors (what color is the pencil?). Show red, blue, yellow; positive assessment - if the answer is correct.

Interpretation of results

If you haven’t given any minuses, the child’s level of mental development corresponds to the age norm.

There are two or more disadvantages - the baby’s development is unique, somewhat different than that of most of his peers. Therefore, it is recommended to consult a child psychologist who will give specific advice on raising and educating the child.

If there is only one minus, we move on to additional examination.

Additional examination

The child is tested on an item that corresponds to the previous age period. The procedure is the same as in the main examination.

If there is not a single minus among the answers, the level of mental development corresponds to the age norm. There is at least one drawback - consultation with a psychologist is recommended.

Don't forget: if your baby has recently turned four years old, and he has not yet learned, say, to count to four, there is no need to panic. After all, the baby still has a whole year to master this skill!