What developmental characteristic is common for children aged 3 years old (36 to 48 months)?

At the age of three, children typically exhibit significant improvements in their overall coordination and body movement skills. This developmental characteristic includes the ability to run, climb, and jump with greater control compared to younger children, reflecting increased physical strength and balance. As they engage in various physical activities, children at this stage develop their gross motor skills, which allow them to use their bodies more effectively in play and daily activities.

The other developmental characteristics mentioned, while relevant to children's development, are not as specific to the three-year age range. For example, improvement in vision and attention span is generally observed but does not define this specific age group as distinctly. Likewise, crawling is a skill typically developed earlier, and using scribbles to convey meaning usually reflects earlier stages of pre-literacy development, occurring before age three. Thus, coordination of total body movement is a hallmark of development during this critical growth period for three-year-olds.