As language skills improve, children begin to enjoy jokes, silly or funny books, and silly language. By age four, most children can count to ten and name one or two primary colors. By five, most children will be able to count to thirty. Most children between four and five years of age are gradually becoming more and more confident and independent. They may even brag and refuse to follow directions.
Children grow outward emotionally between four and five years of age.
As this happens, children will begin to prefer the companionship of other children to adults, and will choose certain children as friends. Children this age will begin to play in groups, and they will tend to separate according to sex. Generally at this age, boys play with boys, and girls play with girls.