Between the ages of three and six, which is known as the pre-school or play age period, the child gradually expands and explores his environment with the feelings of trust and autonomy he has gained before. He wants to know and know everything. He constantly asks and has an endless thirst for learning. He plays tirelessly all day long and starts looking for friends. He takes great pleasure in seeing his own work. The variety and imagination of his games increase. He takes various roles in games. In his plays, he makes inanimate objects talk as if they were alive. Obstinacy decreases, obedience increases. Intrepidity and assertiveness in boys; For girls, possession and attractiveness gain importance. In this period, the foundations of the sense of enterprise are laid. Various obstructive attitudes such as excessive intimidation, blaming and punishment of the people around make it difficult for the healthy development of this sense of initiative in the child and facilitate the development of feelings of guilt. He tries to explain what he cannot understand with the help of his imagination. He exaggerates what he hears, distorts what he sees, loves to describe things that did not happen as if they had happened. It confuses the real with the unreal. They model cartoon characters; reenact their activities. Nor can it distinguish between living and non-living; He thinks his toys are alive and talks to them from time to time. At the age of three, she knows as a girl or boy as part of her sexual identity development. The learning of sexual differences between men and women, the separation of gender roles and the development of sexual self-sense begin at the age of 3-4 and take its final form at the age of 5-6.
Parents in this period should support their children’s entrepreneurial side, asking questions and being investigative. However, in cases where social or family order is not followed, the child should be limited. Children should be given age-appropriate sexual information. It should be known that sexual interest and curiosity are a part of this period; Children should not be scolded or punished for their sexual activities. However, social rules should be taught and they should be asked to behave in accordance with these social rules. In cases of non-compliance with the rules, appropriate boundaries should be set.
