We often measure a child’s age in months, especially in the first few years of life. This is because huge developmental changes happen in a short amount of time. Knowing how old a baby or toddler is in months helps parents and caregivers track milestones and understand what to expect.
So, you may be wondering, “Just how old is 36 months, anyway?” Well, in simple terms, 36 months is equal to 3 years. But what does it mean for a child to be 3 years old? What milestones should you be looking for, and how does this age impact their development?
This article will explore the significance of reaching the 36-month mark, covering key developmental areas like cognitive skills, social and emotional growth, language abilities, and physical capabilities. We’ll also touch on practical considerations for understanding this exciting stage of early childhood.
36 Months in Years: A Simple Conversion
So, how old is 36 months? Well, the answer is pretty straightforward: 36 months is equal to 3 years.
The math is simple. You just divide the number of months by 12 (since there are 12 months in a year). So, 36 / 12 = 3.
If you don’t feel like doing the math yourself, don’t worry! There are plenty of online converters you can use. Just type “months to years converter” into Google, and you’ll find several options.
You can also find conversion tables that give you the answer at a glance. These are handy if you often need to convert months to years.
Cognitive Development at 36 Months
At 36 months, a child is typically showing significant cognitive leaps and bounds. Let’s take a look at some of the cognitive milestones you might expect to see and some ways you can help your child grow.
Understanding Cognitive Milestones
Three-year-olds are developing a range of cognitive skills.
- Problem-solving skills: At this age, children are starting to use mathematical thinking to solve the problems they encounter daily.
- Curiosity: Three-year-olds are naturally curious. They ask questions about the objects and events in their environment, showing a desire to understand the world around them.
You’ll also notice improvements in your child’s memory and attention span. They can remember simple instructions and focus on activities for longer periods.
Fostering Cognitive Growth
There are many ways to encourage your child’s cognitive development:
- Encourage observation: Encourage your child to look closely at the world around them. Point out details and ask questions to spark their curiosity.
- Incorporate open-ended materials: Provide toys and materials that can be used in many different ways, such as blocks, art supplies, and dress-up clothes. This allows your child to use their imagination and creativity.
- Provide opportunities for problem-solving: Present your child with challenges that require them to think critically and find solutions. This could be anything from puzzles to building projects.
Social-Emotional Development at 36 Months
The time between 36 months and 48 months is a period of rapid social and emotional growth. At this age, children are starting to understand their own feelings and the feelings of others, and they’re learning how to navigate relationships. They’re also developing more complex social-emotional skills, such as managing their emotions, interacting with others, and understanding how relationships work.
Play is a crucial part of developing these skills. Through play, children learn how to share, take turns, negotiate, and resolve conflicts. They also learn how to express themselves creatively and how to understand different perspectives.
Supporting Social-Emotional Growth
As a parent or caregiver, there are many things you can do to support a child’s social and emotional growth during this time.
- Help them learn about themselves. Encourage them to talk about their likes and dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses, and their goals and dreams.
- Help them learn about their feelings. Validate their emotions and help them find healthy ways to express them.
- Help them learn about other people. Encourage them to interact with others, both children and adults, and help them understand different perspectives.
When setting boundaries, use positive limits and acknowledge the child’s feelings. For example, instead of saying “No hitting!” you could say “I know you’re angry, but hitting hurts. Let’s find a different way to show how you feel.”
Provide safe outlets for expressing emotions. For example, if a child is angry, you could encourage them to hit a pillow or stomp their feet.
Encourage play with other children, offering support in negotiation and safety. If a child is struggling to share a toy, you could help them negotiate a solution, such as taking turns or finding a different toy to play with.
By providing a supportive and nurturing environment, you can help children develop the social-emotional skills they need to thrive.
Language development and literacy at 36 months
Between the ages of 36 months and 48 months, children’s language skills are developing rapidly. They’re absorbing new words and learning how to put them together into sentences. Even before they can say the words themselves, they’re understanding what you’re saying to them.
If you’re raising your child to be bilingual, you’re helping them build important cognitive skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Research shows that bilingual children often have more flexible thinking skills and are better at problem-solving.
Here are a few things you can do to foster language and literacy skills in your 3-year-old:
- Share stories. Tell your child stories about your day, or make up silly stories together.
- Ask open-ended questions. Instead of asking questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” ask questions that encourage your child to think more deeply and have a conversation with you. For example, instead of asking, “Did you have fun at the park today?” you could ask, “What was your favorite thing about playing at the park?”
- Listen attentively. Put down your phone, make eye contact, and really listen to what your child is saying. Carve out some dedicated talking time each day.
- Point to the words as you read. Show your child the words as you read them, and talk about the different parts of a book, like the cover, the title, and the author.
- Sing songs, recite poems, and play rhyming games. These activities help children learn about the sounds of language.
By doing these things, you’re helping your child develop the language and literacy skills they’ll need to succeed in school and in life.
Number sense and mathematical thinking at 36 months
Between 36 and 48 months of age, children are beginning to develop their number sense. This means they’re starting to understand the meaning of numbers and how they relate to each other. They may start to recognize written numbers, and they’re probably learning to count.
Kids at this age don’t typically learn about numbers in a formal educational setting. Instead, they learn through everyday interactions and experiences. As they hear you count items or compare quantities, they’re learning about numerical values and mathematical relationships.
You can support your child’s budding mathematical thinking in several ways:
- Count during daily routines. Count the number of stairs as you walk up them. Count the crackers you put on their plate at lunch. Count how many swings they take at the park.
- Ask for their input during daily activities. While grocery shopping, ask them to help you count out five apples or three bananas. When you’re cooking, ask them to count how many spoonfuls of sugar you’re adding to a recipe.
- Use household tasks to encourage problem-solving and math skills. Ask them to help you sort socks by color after doing laundry. Have them count out the silverware as you set the table. Ask them to help you measure ingredients while baking cookies.
By weaving math into your everyday life, you can help your child develop a strong foundation in number sense and mathematical thinking.
Physical Development and Motor Skills at 36 Months
Between the ages of 36 and 48 months, children typically become more coordinated and skillful at moving their bodies.
Gross Motor Skills
At three years old, a child is likely refining their gross motor skills, like running, jumping, and climbing. They might be able to kick a ball, pedal a tricycle, or even stand on one foot for a short period. Kids at this age need plenty of chances to be physically active so they can continue honing these fundamental movement skills.
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are also developing rapidly at this age. A 3-year-old might be able to draw simple shapes, use utensils with increasing accuracy, and manipulate small objects with greater dexterity. Activities like drawing, coloring, and playing with building blocks are all great ways to support the development of these skills.
Supporting Physical Development
To encourage healthy physical development, provide your 3-year-old with lots of opportunities for movement. Create a safe environment where they can run, climb, and build. Engage in active play together, such as going to the park, playing tag, or dancing to music. These activities not only promote physical health but also support cognitive and social-emotional development.
How 3-year-olds learn
At 36 months, children are active explorers and investigators. They’re less interested in passively receiving information and more interested in actively discovering it for themselves. Here are some of the ways that 3-year-olds approach learning.
Curiosity and exploration
Three-year-olds learn through curiosity, observation, and investigation. The world is new and fascinating, and they want to explore it with all five senses. They notice objects and events, describe them, and ask lots of questions.
How to support their learning
To support your 3-year-old’s learning style, make time for observation, investigation, and measuring activities. Let them examine leaves and bugs. Let them measure ingredients for a recipe. Provide them with a magnifying glass or a simple microscope.
Also, incorporate open-ended materials into their play. Instead of toys that only do one thing, offer them blocks, art supplies, and dress-up clothes. These types of materials encourage imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills, all of which are important for learning.
Wrapping Up
At 36 months, your child is likely walking, talking, and engaging in imaginative play. They’re probably also developing social skills and learning to express their emotions.
To support their continued growth and learning, it’s important to provide a safe, stimulating, and loving environment where they feel free to explore, create, and ask questions.
As parents and caregivers, we play a vital role in guiding our children through these formative years, offering encouragement, setting boundaries, and celebrating their unique abilities and accomplishments. Every child develops at their own pace, but with love and support, they can all thrive.