3 - 4 years

Nutrition

First Steps Nutrition produces a useful guide to good food choices and portion sizes for 1-4 year olds.

Vitamins

It’s recommended that your child has vitamin A, C and D supplements at this age.

The Healthy Start scheme offers free vitamins to eligible families. For more information and to find out if you are eligible, visit the Healthy Start website.

Healthy Start Scheme

The Healthy Start scheme offers food and vitamin vouchers to eligible families. Find out how to make the most of your vouchers

Immunisations and screening tests

Your child is eligible for an annual flu vaccine, usually given as a nasal spray in autumn / winter.

Your child will be offered a pre-school booster vaccine at the age of three years and four months old.

Development

The NHS Birth to Five development timeline outlines the milestones in your child’s development. 

Education and childcare

Some families with three and four year olds are eligible for up to 30 hours childcare per week. Find out more about this childcare

Ofsted-registered nurseries, pre-schools and childminders deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework.

Your child will start school the September after they turn 4. You will need to apply for a school place between the September and January before this. Find out how to apply for school

Activity

Children under five should be physically active every day for at least 180 minutes (three hours).

This should be spread throughout the day, indoors or outside, and include a variety of different activities.

Children’s centres

Havering’s Children’s Centres offer a variety of services and support to parents and children including infant feeding support, parenting courses and play sessions. These can be good opportunities to socialise with other parents, expand your knowledge and receive advice and support.