Test Your Child

This information comes from the Denver II Test. I was a certified child administrator in giving this test at Ricks College as an Early Childhood Education major . I still use it on my children and my preschool children to help me know what I need to work with each child on. Here are some skills that your children (1-5) should know and skills they can be working on.
Age 1
Personal Skills:
Already should be doing
1) Feed self (a bottle...) 2)Play Pat-A-Cake.
Other skills some children could do at this age, but not all
1)Indicate wants 2)wave bye-bye 3) play ball with someone 4)imitate activities 5) drink from a cup (no lid).
Fine Motor Skills:
Already should be doing
1)thumb finger grasp 2) bang two blocks together
Other Skills some children could do at this age, but not all
1)put block in cup 2) scribble
Language Skills:
Already should be doing
1)say Dada/Mama nonspecific 2) combine syllables 3) jabbers Skills some could do
Other Skills some children could do at this age, but not all
1)say Dada/Mama specific 2) say up 3 words
Gross Motor Skills
Already should be doing
1) Pull to stand 2) get to sitting 3) stand 2 secs.
Other Skills some children could do, but not all
1) Stand alone 2) Stoop and recover 3) walk well
Age 2
Personal Skills
Should be doing
1)Help in house 2) use spoon/fork 3) remove garment 4) feed doll (if you gave a child a bottle and a doll and say "feed the dolly" they should know where the bottle goes.)
Skills some could do, but not all
1)Put on clothing 2)brush teeth with help 3)wash and dry hands.
Fine Motor
Should be doing
1) Build tower of 2 small blocks (1 inch by 1 inch)
Skills some could do, but not all
1) Tower of 6 blocks.
Language:
Should be doing
1) 6 words 2) point 2 pictures (have a picture of a cat, dog bird, horse, and person you say, "point to the dog..."
Skills some could do, but not all
1) Name 1 of those pictures, 2) point to 4 of those pictures, 3) name 4 of those pictures, 4)speech half understandable, 5) point 6 body parts (using a doll, say "show me the nose, eyes...") 6)combine words (play ball, want drink, see that...)
Gross Motor
Should be doing
1) Runs 2) walk up steps 3) kick ball forward
Skills some could do, but not all
1) jumps up (both feet off ground) 2) throw ball overhand
Age 3
Should be doing the skills some could do but not all at age 2
Personal Skills
Some could do, but not all
1) Name a friend 2) Put on T-Shirt 3) play board games 4) brush teeth with no help
Fine Motor Skills
Some could do, but not all
1)tower of 8 blocks 2) imitate vertical line (you write a vertical line and say "draw this") 3) wiggle thumb (like a thumbs up and wiggle thumb only).
Language
Some could do, but not all
1) Know 2 Actions, some know 4 (using pictures from age 2 say, "Which one flies?... says meow?...talks?...barks?...gallops?) 2) Know 2 Adjectives some know 3 (you ask, "What do you do when you are cold?...tired?...hungry?" child must answer with words) 3) name 1 color 4) Know 2 objects and some know 3 (you say "What do you do with a cup? What is a chair used for? What is a pencil used for? child needs to use words to answer) 5) count 1 block (you say put 1 block on the paper. After they put 1 block on the paper you ask, "how many blocks are on the paper?" they need to say 1 without counting it.) 6) Speech all understandable 7) understand 4 prepositions (put the block on the table; under table; in front of me; behind me).
Gross Motor
Some could do, but not all
1) broad jump (jump 2 feet together over a piece of paper) 2) balance each foot 1 second 3) balance each foot 2 secs. 4) balance each foot 3 secs.
Age 4
Should be doing the skills some could do at age 3
Personal
Some could do, but not all
1) Dress no help 2) play board/card game 3) brush teeth no help 4) prepare cereal
Fine Motor
Some could do, but not all
1)copy a circle (show them a picture one don't draw one say "draw this" it must stop after 1 time and meet ends) 2) draw a 3 part person (2 eyes count as 1 part) 3) copy "+" (child sees a picture of plus symbol and draws it, do not draw one for them to see, child must only lift pencil 2 times), 4) pick longer line (you draw 2 vertical lines one a little longer than the other and say, "which line is longer" child must point to longer line, turn paper all the way around and do again)
Language
Some could do, but not all
1) Use of 3 objects (look above at age 3) 2) know 4 actions (look at age 3) 3) speech all understandable 4) understand 4 prepositions (look above at age 3) 5) name 4 colors 6) know 3 adjectives (look above at age 3), 7)know 2 opposites (Ask, "If a horse is big a mouse is ______? If fire is hot, ice is ____? If the sun shines during the day, the moon shines during the _____?") 8) Define 5 words (Ask, "What is a ball?... lake?... desk?... house?... banana?... curtain?...fence?...ceiling? Child must use words that describe what each word means).
Gross Motor
Some could do, but not all
1) Hops (on 1 foot) 2) balance each foot 2 secs. 3) balance each foot 3 secs. 4) balance each foot 4 secs. 5) balance each foot 5 secs.
Age 5
Should be doing skills some could do at age 4
Personal
All of age 4 and below.
Fine Motor
1) Pick longer line (look above at age 4) 2) copy a perfect 4 cornered square (you can draw one first and say, "draw this" all 4 corners must meet, no curves) 3) draw person 6 parts (2 eyes are 1 part...) 4) copy a perfect 4 corner square (this one is without you drawing it they see a picture and draw one, see if they can do this one first if not draw one and then see if they can do one.)
Language
1) Define 5 words (see above at define 5 words) 2) count 5 blocks (this is kind of tricky, you ask child to count/put 5 blocks on the paper, after they finish ask, "how many blocks are on your paper?" child must say 5 without counting the blocks again.
Gross Motor
1) balance each foot 6 seconds 2) heel-to-toe-walk (place masking tape on ground and have child walk heel-to-toe, you can demonstrate).


I do this test with my children about every 6 months so that I know what skills to work with them on. I know a lot of parents just don't know what things to work on with there little ones, so I thought this would be some great information for all you moms out there! If you're not sure if your child's answers are correct ask me and I can let you know. The test is pretty specific on some things. Don't stress, just use this information as a guideline for some items to work with your children on. Have fun!