Age: 3 Years

Tips for your 3 year old child

HELP ME BE HEALTHY.

At this checkup, the doctor will:

  • Weigh and measure me.
  • Check my hearing and vision.
  • Give me a blood test to see if I’m healthy.
  • Ask what new things I can do, what my sleeping habits are, and what I eat.
  • Give me any vaccines I missed before.

TAKE CARE OF MY TEETH.

  • It might be time for my next dentist visit. I want to have healthy teeth, so please take me to the dentist every six months.
  • Remember to brush my teeth every day.
  • Check my teeth for white or brown spots.
  • Don’t give me a lot of sugary foods and drinks.

HELP ME BE SAFE.

  • Keep all plants out of my reach. Some plants are poisonous. If I do eat any parts of a plant. call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
  • Keep the trash inside a latched cabinet or in a place where I can’t get into it. Don’t let me reach for anything in the trash. I could find can lids, food, plastic bags, and many other dangerous things.
  • If I have a swing and slide, make sure they are sturdy and safe for me to use. Are they anchored in the ground? Stay with me while I swing and slide.

HELP ME LEARN TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.

When I need to do something, tell me and show me what I should do. If I throw a doll at my sister because I want to play with her game, I need to know why I should not throw the doll. I also need to learn that I can’t have what I want all the time. Tell me, “Please don’t throw the doll. It could hurt someone. You can use the blocks to make a house for the doll. You can play the game when your sister finishes.”

  • Yelling or spanking me will not help me learn what you want me to do.
  • Praise me when I’m doing what you want me to do.
  • Telling me that you like the good things that I do will help me learn quickly. Hug me to show that you are happy about what I’m doing. I like to please you. This discipline works better than punishing me.

REGISTER ME FOR HEAD START OR PRESCHOOL.

You can sign me up for Head Start anytime of the year. If you meet the federal guidelines, the Head Start program will help us based on our needs. To find out more, go to www.uth.tmc.edu/thsseo or call 1-866-282-7780.

PLAY WITH ME, IT HELPS ME LEARN.

  • Show me how to take things apart and put them back together again.
  • Take me to the library to check out books. Find out what programs the library has for young children like me.
  • Take me outside. Show me how to run and throw a ball. Teach me the things that are better to do outside rather than in the house.
  • Teach me how to describe how things feel. Show me what is soft, sticky, hard, rough, and furry.
  • Write down the stories that I tell. Read them back to me.
  • Play a game with me of matching colors.
  • Help me learn to pick up my toys and put them where they belong.
  • Take me to a play group or invite a child who is about my age to my house so we can play together.

WATCH HOW I GROW.

I’m growing at my own pace.
I do some things a little early and some things a little late. If we already know I have a disability or a delay that keeps me from doing some of the things listed below, I might be able to do these things later. It will just take me a little longer to learn how to do them. If I can’t do most of the things on the list, talk to my doctor or nurse. Also, call the Special Education office of the school district where we live.

Watch for me to:

  • Build a tower with at least six blocks.
  • Talk in sentences that have three or four words in them. About half of the time you can understand what I say.
  • Point to and tell you about the pictures in my favorite books.
  • Put an easy puzzle together.
  • Brush my teeth with your help.
  • Throw a ball overhand.

You might notice that I also:

  • Sing songs by myself.
  • Don’t take a nap every day .
  • Know the difference between words-like the difference between “go” and “stop”, “yes” and “no”, “cold” and “hot”, “up” and “down.”
  • Know what belongs to me.
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Important information about your 3 year old

Family

Keep family routines but remember to take time for yourself and partner. Timeouts should be used as quiet time for your child in a neutral area of your home (one minute for each year of age) with no toys or distractions. Do not talk to them during timeout. Explain to them later why they were in timeout. Take away toys if timeouts do not work. Praise them when they behave well and use rewards charts to reinforce good behavior.

Development

Read and play with your child every day. Take your child to the library. Teach them their colors and how to sing their ABCs. Ask your child to tell stories and ask them about their day. They will also ask “why” often so give simple answers but make sure to listen to your child. They will be more aware of time and will depend on their daily routine. Interactive games with peers are good for your child to help them learn to play with others and learn how to take turns. Ask your provider for information if you are interested in preschool or Head Start for your child.

Health

Be patient with your child when they are toilet training. They are ready when they know they have a wet diaper and can tell you when they need to go. Have your child pick out big boy/girl underwear or toilet seat. Your child should be brushing their teeth twice a day with toothpaste. You should brush their teeth after them until they are seven years old. Limit TV and screen time to no more than 1 hour a day. Do not allow your child to use screens (phone, tablet, TV) while eating. Have your child run and play outside at least 1 hour every day.

Nutrition

Give your child 3 meals and 2-3 healthy snacks a day. Give your child healthy options and allow your child to decide on how much to eat. For snacks, give them fruit, vegetables, turkey/cheese roll-up, and vanilla or plain yogurt (avoid snacks like yakult or danonino). Make sure they are not eating junk food or drinking soda. Give your child milk and water instead of juice. Give your child no more than 4 oz of 100% juice a day.

Safety

Place your child in an appropriate car seat in the back seat of the car. At 40 pounds, your child can use a booster seat. Always watch your child when near streets. Make sure they wear a hat and sunscreen when playing outside. Guns and ammunition must be locked up if in the home. Always be within arms reach of your child while they are in a pool or bathtub. Move furniture away from windows and install window guards. Test your smoke detectors monthly.

Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

After Hours and Weekends
After 4:00 PM and before 8:00 AM
For medical advice when People’s is closed call After Hours Nurse line at 512-478-4939

Download PDF here.

Free Pre-Kindergarten!

Help your 4-year-old prepare for school!

Pre-Kindergarten helps 4-year-olds prepare for school.* Most public schools have Pre-K classes, and your child could attend for free!

Pre-K helps children develop stronger reading, writing, math, English, listening and social skills.

Children who attend Pre-K are more likely to graduate from high school and succeed as adults!

 

To qualify for free Pre-K, your child must be at least 4 years old by September 1st of the school year and meet ANY of the following criteria:

  • Child is from a low income household
  • Child is unable to speak English well
  • Child is homeless or has been in foster care
  • Child’s parent is a member of the U.S. armed forces

Children with no documentation of U.S. citizenship are accepted!

Contact your school district to ask questions or enroll your child. Call 211 or 311 if you don’t know who to call.

*Some school districts have programs for 3-year-olds, too! Ask your school.

Gun Safety

Gun Safety is Important!

Did you know that one-third of all families in American that have children also have guns?

Teach your children that they should not touch guns.

If they see a gun, they should leave it alone and tell an adult.

Talk to your child about the difference between real and fake or toy guns.

  • Real people can get hurt or killed if real guns are used.
  • The guns on TV and in video games are fake and people are pretending or not real.
  • Some toy guns look very real. Even adults can’t always tell the difference.
  • The best rule is not to touch any guns.

Parent talking to child about gun safetyIf your children play at another home, talk to the parents about gun safety.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded.

Always store guns unloaded.

Lock guns in a rack or safe, and hide the keys or combination.

Store bullets away from guns and keep them locked.

Don’t keep guns in your home if someone in your family may be violent, or has a mental illness or severe depression.

Time Outs

Time Outs for 2, 3, and 4 year olds

Quiet time, thinking time, cooling off time.

  • Use time for things you cannot ignore, like hurting someone else.

Green timeout chairUse a timeout chair at the side of the room.

  • Or use their bedroom for a timeout room.
  • If you are away from home, use a chair or bench off to the side of where you are.

Short! One minute for each year of age (2 year olds = 2 minutes). A timer can help.

Tell the child to go to timeout.

  • If they do not go, take them by the hand or carry them there.
  • Tell them why: “Don’t hit.” “Be kind to your friends.”

If they leave, reset the timer and start over. Ignore tantrums.

  • If they try to leave, take them back and start the time over.
  • Hold them for 2-4 minutes if needed until they learn that you will not let them leave time out.

When the time is over or timer rings, say “Time out is over. You can get up now.”

Potty Training

Wait until your child is ready. He or she:

  • knows the words “pee, “poop,” “wet,” “dry,” “potty. “
  • knows what the potty is for
  • likes clean dry diapers better than wet ones.
  • comes to you when he or she is wet or dirty.
  • shows the need to pee or poop: jumping, holding himself, squatting.
  • starts to wake up from naps dry.
  • goes off alone to pee or poop.

Get some things you will need:

  • A potty chair that sits on the floor.
  • Books to read like, Once Upon a Potty, Everybody Poops, The Potty Book.
  • Treats and stickers for rewards.
  • “Big boy” or “big girl” pants.

Training toilet

Practice going to the potty.

  • When your child wakes up dry from a nap.
  • About 20 minutes after eating.
  • When they seems to need to pee or poop (by the way their face looks, or by the way they move).

Say, “Let’s go use the potty.”

  • Walk the child to the potty.
  • Take off diapers or pants.
  • Read a story or sing a song so they can sit for a while.
  • If the child wants to get up, let them. Do not make them to stay there.
  • Practice for only about 5 minutes.

Say “Good job!” when he or she tries.

  • Give rewards for using the potty.

How to keep your child in one piece

WALK SAFE.

  • Always look both ways when you cross the street. Hold hands in streets and parking lots!
  • Always wear white clothes when you walk at night.
  • Never play by the curb, at a bus stop, or by railroad tracks.

RIDE SAFE.

  • Car crashes are the biggest danger for children 5 to 15 years old.
  • Always wear seatbelts!
  • Always put young children in safety seats.
  • Never ride in the back of a pick-up!

PLAY SAFE.

  • Always wear a helmet when you ride a bike.
  • Always wear a lifejacket on a boat or by water.
  • Never leave a child alone in a tub or pool.

There are some dangers in your child’s world, and you can help them be safe.

Your Guide to Raising a Healthy Eater

Having young children is one of the hardest and most rewarding times of your life! Between working and taking care of your family’s needs, it’s sometimes easy to forget to make sure everything is on track. That’s where this guide comes in handy. Written with information from doctors, nutritionists, and moms who have been there, this is a great guide to help your child become a healthy eater. The more your kids grow, the more you will want to know!

In this guide, you will learn:

Helping Your Child Develop Healthy Food Habits

Healthy Foods for a Healthy Plate

Physical Activity for your Child

Behaviors That Help Families Stay Healthy

Download Guide

Protect your children from lead poison

LEAD IS POISON TO:

  • Red Blood Cells
  • Kidneys
  • Reproductive Organs
  • Bones
  • The Brain
  • Even Children Who Are Not Born Yet!
  • Children, Especially Under the Age of 6

LEAD IS FOUND IN:

  • Some Peeling Paint
  • Batteries
  • Lead Pipes
  • Bullets and Lead Weights
  • Folk Remedies
  • Food Grown in Contaminated Soil
  • Lead-Glazed Pottery or Pewter Dishes

YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR CHILD!

  • Have your child’s blood tested for lead.

Peeling Paint

  • Cover areas that have peeling paint with paneling, wallpaper, or sheet-rock
  • Do not remove peeling lead-based paint yourself. Lead dust can be deadly if you breathe it in.

Food

  • Feed your child three healthy meals and two nutritious snacks each day. Your child’s stomach absorbs more lead when it is empty.
  • Give your child foods high in iron (like beans, fortified cereals, and raisins) and calcium (like milk, yogurt, and cheese). Calcium and iron help keep lead out of your child’s blood.
  • Wash fruits and vegetables before eating. Wash hands before meals.

Other

  • Do not use water from the hot tap for drinking, cooking, or preparing infant formula.
  • Do not cook or store food in cans, pottery, ceramics, or leaded crystal. Some cans have seams made with lead. Some pottery (including Mexican beanpots), ceramics, and crystal also contain lead.
  • Do not let your children play near abandoned autos or with automobile batteries or radiators.
  • Plant grass and shrubs over bare dirt in the yard.
  • Damp-mop floors often and clean surfaces with a strong household cleaner.

Who can I call if I have questions about lead?

  • Your local health department
  • Your doctor
  • Texas Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 1-800-588-1248

The 5 FIND Elements of Serve and Return

The early years of a child’s life are important because their brains are growing. The experiences that a child has affects how their brain grows. One of the most important things adults do to support healthy brain development is called Serve and Return. Children serve when they do something, say something, or look at something. Adults return the serve when they respond. It’s these everyday moments that promote healthy brain development in young children.

Woman and child playing with a dandelion

Sharing a Child's Focus

This happens when you notice a child’s serve, and get interested in what they are doing, seeing, or feeling.

Noticing serves helps you identify a child’s interests and needs, and gives you an opportunity to respond.

Mother and father helping baby eat a banana

Supporting and Encouraging

You give support when you comfort a child, provide them with something they want or need, or help them do or understand something.

You encourage a child when you praise them, play with them, or acknowledge them.

Returning serves with support and encouragement strengthens your relationship with a child.

Woman helping children paint on paper

Naming

Naming happens when you provide a word or label for what a child is doing, seeing, or feeling.

Returning serves with naming helps build language. Naming feelings helps children learn about their emotions and how to cope with them.

Man holding out a blue ball to young child

Back and Forth

Once you return a serve with support, encouragement, or naming, interactions often go Back and Forth. Waiting for a child to respond gives them time to come up with their own ideas and responses.

These longer interactions build thinking, language, and social skills.

Baby crawling on ground with woman behind him encouraing

Endings and Beginnings

This happens when a child shows you they are all done with one activity, they serve by showing interest in something new, and you join them in the new activity.

Child led Endings and Beginnings encourages a child to explore their environment, and can help transitions go more smoothly.

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Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) is a strengths-based, video coaching program for parents and other caregivers of young children.

To participate in FIND offered at PCC, contact: Celina Nance 512-684-1749