Child Development: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

As in the earlier years, children’s thinking, feeling, and growth will continue to develop. As they move from preschool into kindergarten, their learning will become more formal, structured, and focused on academic subjects.

Formal school subject areas are categorized in Colorado’s Academic Standards. Colorado Academic Standards content areas include:

Comprehensive Health and Physical Education

It’s important for children to eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep to stay healthy. Children will be better able to move during a variety of routines, games, and activities.

Kindergarteners should show respect for themselves and others and follow directions.
1st grade students grow in their ability to effectively work with others, including following rules.
In 2nd and 3rd grades, children continue developing social skills so that they can work well with other students in class and social settings.

Academics

The academic subjects that children kindergarten through 3rd grade will study include:

World Languages. Students learn about other cultures – their language, how they interact, and parts of their local culture. Students begin to learn how to communicate in a foreign language. Students connect their experiences to the language they are learning. Learning a new language and about a new culture helps students to learn more about their own culture and experiences
Reading, Writing, and Communicating. Students are learning how to speak and understand the language(s) spoken around them and start to read.
- While preschool and kindergarten children learn the basics of reading (letters and phonics), children in 1st through 3rd grades begin to read on their own.
- In preschool, children learn that writing means something and communicates ideas.
- Students start to write upper and lower case letters and add spacing between words in kindergarten.
- In 1st through 3rd grades, students learn to write in a more organized way to tell stories and give messages. Students begin to gather information, answer questions, and solve problems.
Mathematics. Students learn about numbers and how they are related. They learn how to think through and solve math problems. Students learn how to recognize, describe, and compare shapes, objects, and structures. Students begin to use data to answer questions.
Science. Students learn about physical science and changes in matter and energy. They learn about living things and how they interact with each other and their environment. Students also learn how Earth’s systems function and interact with other objects in space.
Social Studies. Students learn about historical people and events, which helps to develop understanding of morals and what is “right” and “wrong” and how things change. They learn about world regions and resources and how places are connected locally, nationally, and globally. Students also learn about economics and personal finances, as well as about government, citizenship, and law.

Creativity

Different areas of creativity will be explored in kindergarten through 3rd grade, including in areas like:

Music. Students learn how to express themselves through music, for example, by singing songs. They learn how music has a different language and structure. Students also learn how to assess and comment on music.
Dance. Students develop the confidence and skills to dance and perform. They learn elements of dance and how to show ideas through movement. Students learn about the history of dance.
Visual Arts. Students learn how visual arts can help someone express themselves and communicate with others. They also learn how to assess and comment on art. In addition, students learn how to create art with different techniques and using different materials and understand how visual arts can be a part of lifelong learning.
Drama & Theater Arts. Students learn how to make and be a part of theater, including performing in and writing plays. They develop the skills to assess and comment on theater and notice elements of theater in their everyday life.

Together, these areas reflect all that a student will learn in school. But there are also other important areas of child development that will continue to grow and change, including children’s overall health, feelings, and emotions. Students will also continue to develop important skills that will help them to be successful in life. Colorado calls these “21st Century Skills” and they include, but are not limited to, students’ ability to think critically and work well with others.

Social Skills

From kindergarten to 3rd grade, children will also develop their social skills. Watch the video to learn more about what this may look like.

Check out the video below to hear more about the parent / caregiver experience of children kindergarten through 3rd grade.

View or download our Tip Sheet for Kindergarten to 3rd Grade for more information on important milestones and behaviors for children this age.

The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines

Are you interested in learning about the expectations for your child's development based on their age? The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines describe the path of children’s learning and development from birth to 8 years old. Broken down by age and major milestones, the guidelines are a sort of map, helping parents and caregivers navigate their child's early years. Experts from across Colorado developed these guidelines to create a shared understanding and a coordinated approach to learning and development.

Curious about what your little one is thinking at this age? Wondering what you can do to help them thrive and reach their developmental milestones? Check out the guidelines using the link below.

Browse the Guidelines

Download the Guidelines Document

Spanish version