Ages 3 to 5 - Literacy Knowledge and Skills Guidelines

The Literacy Knowledge & Skills domain (area) describes skills that provide the basis for children’s growing ability to read and write.

Preschool-age children are developing thoughts and opinions about reading that will affect how they approach learning as they get older. They are also developing basic understandings about how books and other printed materials have meaning.

This area also addresses early reading skills, such as the ability to hear and notice the difference between sounds in words and some basic letter understanding.

Children’s physical ability to write is closely tied to their development of fine motor skills (the ability to make movements using the small muscles in our hands and wrists). These can often be very different from child to child at this age. Because of that, children should practice communicating their ideas on paper in whatever way they can, including:

Scribbling
Writing words
Drawing pictures
Tracing letters and words

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

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