Social and Emotional Growth: The First Five Years (continued)

The preschooler's pretend games become more involved and, for some children, may entail some form of violence in play. Fears (of the dark, of big dogs, for example) may persist and contribute to nightmares, but most children can generally calm down.

Between four and five years the child

• seeks out same-sex friends
• prefers children over adults
• enjoys performing for others
• whispers and has secrets
• to blame and praise
• be bossy
• is becoming competitive
• enjoys helping at home, with tasks such as watering plants, picking up toys

During the first five years, development proceeds at a pace faster than any other time of life. During this time children develop the social-emotional capacities that prepare them to be self-confident, trusting, empathic, intellectually inquisitive, competent and capable of understanding and adjusting well to others.

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