5 year old
By the time of 5 years, your child should be able to:
UNDERSTANDING
Understand sequence concepts (first/second/third/last, beginning/middle/end)
Recognise items that don’t belong in categories
Understand ‘when’ questions
Start to understand time concepts (day/night, morning, afternoon, night)
Understand opposites and comparatives (big/biggest, wet/dry)
Follow three part instructions, including time words (get your shoes before you get your hat)
Understand numbers, letters and shapes
TALKING
Use complex sentences with correct grammar
Use all pronouns correctly (he/she, her/him, he’s/her’s, I/me, them, us)
Talks about events that happened, might have happened or that are going to happen
Talks in details, using a variety of descriptive words and vocabulary
Talks about feelings and emotions
Answer ‘when’ questions
Explain why items don’t belong together
Start to use some irregular verbs (fell)
Can count to 1-15 or onwards
Identify some letters
Identify most shapes
Can write their name and draw a person (doesn’t have to be perfect!)
SPEECH SOUNDS
Children should be understood all the time. Sounds that are produced correctly:
p, b, m, w, h, t, d, n,
k
g
f
l
sh
ch
s
j
z
v
r
WARNING SIGNS
Unable to follow instructions
Using short sentences, unable to tell back events or recounts
Unable to answer questions
Many grammatical errors in sentences
People find it hard to understand your child (the only errors that are appropriate at this age or that are still developing are ‘r’, ‘v’ and ‘th’)
Shows little/ no interest in letters, reading or writing