Age 1-2 * Curious about people= they may watch and imitate other children but they rarely want to interact * Solitary play- it allows the child to test his hypothesis or theories about things. What will happen if I pour the water from a big container to a small container? * Still unable to grasp the notion of others- so if someone pick up his toy, he may throw a tantrum or voice a protest as he sees his object is an extension of his self
Age 3 * Child’s brain is almost fully grown * Lying- a developmental milestone! As it demands quite advanced cognitive and social skills * Almost 4- children will lie on a regular basis * Purpose is different: 3- lie to avoid punishment; older child- control a social situation * Awareness of gender identity * Enjoy grown-up role play * Sharing responsibilities: household chores They enjoy learning about their world through role play and imitation * Sense of self has expanded- to include sense of others and this inspired him to share, take turns, empathize, and do cooperative play. It is also an ideal time to establish shared family events such as regular mealtimes *
Peer pressure * When it comes to deciding on who is right and who is wrong, 3 year olds will go with the majority. * Age 3 * Play is the dominant feature of preschool life. Preschool phase is said to be the most playful stage of human life. Based on your observations or experiences, what are the toys usually enjoyed by preschool children? * Cooperative play * e.g. invention or copying of a set of rules; can spontaneously change rules * Others: puzzles, board games, card games, drawing and painting * Imaginary friends- invisible presence or a favorite toy that has been enrolled to play the part of the friend. Advantage? * Pretend play: involves (1) transformation of an object into something else; (2) the giving to an object some make-believe properties; and (3) the invention of imaginary objects e.g. a piece of wood- airplane; doll- real baby * Double knowledge- understanding both the real and imagined property of a toy
All of these may look like a simple child’s game, but in reality it involves complex behavior on the part of the preschoolers

Age 4 * Brain: Child’s prefrontal complex is now focused on fine tuning itself for various tasks * Fantasy play: own persona disappears dress up as a fictional character Superman, Batman etc. They may even refuse to answer if they are addressed using their real names. This is an important stepping stone in the development of understanding the feelings, thoughts and beliefs of others * Has circle of many friends * Has imaginary playmate * Recognize difference between the self and others (but may insult others)
Age 5 to 8 * Recognize herself as an “agent of action” * Has better control over her emotions and shows plenty of affection and empathy towards others * Can communicate his feelings to his friends * Girls like pairs and boys like gangs. At this age, boys and girls tend to diverge in the nature of their friendships
Providing his personal toy so his exclusive ownshership is fully reconized.. then he is more willing to share.