These are some of the skills that a baby can learn before he turns three.

Some babies would of course do exceptional and be ready to learn even more skills other than the
list would say.

Here’s the list I’ve compiled based on activities we do and on some homeschooling curriculums I’ve
seen.

By age three, your child:

Reading/ Phonics:

Should at least read one book or a story daily. He/she should understand the reading direction so
whichever language it is, use your finger to remind him which side you are reading.

Should be able to recognize alphabets, both upper and lowercase and read ‘Qaida’ (Urdu or Arabaic)

Should be able to sing ABC song.

Should know the phonics to all alphabets and should even be taught how to blend them together.

Should be able to sit quietly as you read to him (even if just 5-10 mins)

Should thoroughly enjoy reading time, for this you have to handle books excitedly and with care in
front of him so he knows these should be respected and bring him joy.

Writing.

Should be able to hold crayon, pencil, markers and pen as correctly as possible. Try gently correcting
his hold whenever he’s at it.

Should be able to cut straight and zigzag lines with plastic scissors (writing exercise, helps with fine
motor skills).

Should be able to trace straight and zigzag lines with markers or crayons

Should have a habit of drawing, colouring and painting.

Mathematics

Should able to count at least to 20

Should be able to count things to 20 as well, take as many out of them as you ask him and add as
many into them as you ask him (up till 20 only)

Understanding of various concepts:

Should be able to understand superlatives for objects like big/small, high/low, up/down, more/less

Should be able to recognize at least 12 basic colors and sort things out on that basis

Should be able to sort things out based on sizes, should be able to stack them from big to small.

Should be able to sort objects out based on their shapes and know basic shapes as circle, square,
triangle, star, arrow etc.
Science

Should know the names of as many domestic and wild animals as he encounters or sees in his books
or hears about in his rhymes

Should be able to make the sounds those animals make

Should know names of baby animals as kitten, lamb, calf etc

Should know what different animals eat (as grass, milk, bugs etc)

Should know where different animals live i.e ants live in the earth, birds live in the trees, fish live in
water

Should be able to name natural objects as sky, grass, trees, leaves, flowers, sticks

Should know names of the bugs and insects he sees i.e butterfly, ladybirds, bees, mosquitos, flies
etc.

Should be able to name almost all parts of his body.

Should know the names of various fruits and vegetables.

Should know as much about solar system as you can make him understand.

Should know about metamorphosis of some bugs.

Should be told how plants reproduce.

Should be told how honey, milk etc is produced.

Should be told how to reuse and recycle things.

Geography

Should know the names of 7 continents and should be able to spot them on the map

Should be able to name the 4 biggest oceans and spot them on the map

Should be able to spot Pakistan on the map

Should be able to recognize flag of Pakistan

shuld know about various terrain types as hills, plains, mountains, deserts, volcanoes etc.

General knowledge

Should be able to name various places like park, market, hospital and malls etc.

Should able to recognize neighbours’ houses

Should be able to differentiate between various vehicles as cars, trucks, tractors, fire trucks,
construction trucks etc.

Should be able to name planes, boats, ships

Should know names of family members

Should be able to tell his address and/or phone number

Should know the names of common food items

Should know the names of various clothing items

Should know the names of basic cutlery items and furniture pieces

Islamic studies:

Should know Allah made everything

Should know Allah is one

Should say first and preferably 2nd kalma too

Should read various Quranic ayahs of duas after you

Should remember small Quranic ayah on his own

Should say Bismillah, AlhamduLillah, Allah’o akbar where needed

Should be familiar with Rasool Allah SAW

Should know about Azaan and namaz and how to respect them both and should be taught to say
namaz with you, even if he does that for only a minute

Should be told small stories from life of Rasool Allah

Health, hygiene and fitness

Should be made to run/ jump/ dance/ cycle/ walk/ take rides for a certain amount of time every day

Should be made to wash hands before and after meals and after he uses the loo (if he’s potty trained
already)

Should ask to have his hands or toys washed if he soils them

Should ask you to wipe his nose or know how to do that himself

Should know basic safety principles as ‘never touching the fire, never going to the road alone, never
touching an electric socket’ etc.

Manners

Should say Assalamoalikum and shake hands with everyone he sees

Should know salutations as how are you etc

Should say Allah hafiz at the time of departure

Should say thanks/jazakAllah/shukriya, sorry and welcome etc.

Should help pick the house or just his toys if you ask him

Should help in the kitchen with things not dangerous for him

Should know what to put in the trash

Should be made to help dress himself

Should know about good and bad touch

Sleep time studies:

Research has shown that human brains retains knowledge way better if it is taken in right before it
goes to sleep. I’ve seen this work in case of my baby so I’ve selected his nap and bedtime lullabys
very carefully so he learns things from them. I sing them these songs, some before his nap and some
before his bedtime at night, as lullaby.

a- Don't talk to me about Muhammad (a story from Rasool Allah SAW life)
b- Give thanks to Allah (learning to thank Allah for things he made)
c- Allah made everything (learning about how everything is here because of Allah)
d- Pizza in his pocket (learning not to overeat, eating healthy and sharing)
e- Bismillah, I'm a Muslim (learning about times when you should say bismillah and
alhamduLillah)
f- Upsy Daisy (learning about going to masjid when we hear azaan)

Apart from these songs, I read surah Fatiha, Kalma Tayyaba and Shahadah and something Ayat-ul-
kursi and the 4 Quls out loud as lullaby and he’s learning small ayahs from them fast.