Is this smart?

[TopCat1]

My little girl just turned 2 years old last month, and has started to put little sentences together.

Everytime we walk up the stairs we count together, and this must of put figures into her little head and she can now count to ten on her own. Is this smart? Really don't want to come across that I'm boasting, as I promise you I'm not, my husband and I are just amazed by this, as her 5 year old cousin has only learnt to count. But I'm asking the question because I want to know if she is smart, or do we just have parent pride:-) if you know what I mean.

[kick3m0n]

she's learnig it by rote...ie she knows the sequence and has heard it often enough to know what comes next in the sequence. it's the same form of learning that allows toddlers to recite words from favourite books, programmes and songs. She may well be very bright, but at the moment, all she's showing is a good memory, which is very different from any meaningful use of numbers (ie when she will be able to work out that 2 stairs plus one more stair equals 3 stairs). Most of the kids at our Toddlers group can count to 10 by about 2 yrs old. Quite apart from anythign else, they know it will please tehir parents if they show off this new skill, and so the behaviour will be repeated, as it gets a reward, and wee ones just love to get praised and to think they are clever etc. Maybe her cousin is just a bit slower to grasp these things, is uninterested in numbers, or has a poorer memory for such sequences.

but of course you should be proud.....every little thing our wee boy did was a source of great joy and pride for his daddy and I. Still is, no matter how small. If we parents didn't boast and fill up with pride at every achievement, we'd be poorer parents for it.

[TopCat1]

Thanks for your answer, and it does make a lot of sense, but now you mention it she does know the difference between one item and two items, is this normal for her age also?

[andrea_h]

Hiya,

I agree with kick3m0n that she is copying your sequence, but it does sound like she is clever - I know its not good to compare children as they're all different but I had the same thing - there is a 6wk age gap between my son & his cousin (girl) and there has always been a massive difference in their 'intelligence' like you daughter he knew numbers by just under 2 and letters not long after - again probably just copying the sequence/visuals etc. but I was proud of him anyway!!

We bought some flashcards of every day items(or make your own) and kept shuffling them up and he was really good at matching up the word (verbal) to the picture - either one by one or put them all out & see if they can find the right pic etc - you could try this with your daughter & see how she gets on - it helps to encourage the memory and they have fun doing it and getting lots of praise too!!

It sounds to me that your little girl is smart and you are doing a great job by encouraging her to count things and recognize sequences etc - keep it up and she'll be at Oxford by the time she's 4!!

A xXx

[kick3m0n]

Hi TC.....I think that's fairly normal that she knows the difference between 1 item and 2. it's using the numbers in a logical or meaningful way that is the next big number breakthru. Tell you what she would probably enjoy ....you get Pair cards in ELC and other places, where you turn them all back side up, and pick two at a time each. When you make a pair, you keep them and get another go. Our wee guy just loves this game and has now acquired several different sets of cards, and their memory will absolutely amaze you. He beats his dad and I at this game often, even when we try really hard to win!

[Whickerman]

Your daughter sounds really bright, congrats. It'll help her to develop if you continue to play games with her (like the counting one). You sound like you're doing a great job - most of us can find we're too busy these days to do what you're doing

[jules1968]

My little boy is 2 1/2 and i too am proud of the fact that he can count to ten. if i put 3 things in front of him, he counts 3,. so i know its not just repeating. He also knows all his colours and shapes. Some children do pick things up quickly but where they may excel in one thing, they might perhaps be a little behind in another, for example, my little boy can't pull his own pants up, but i some his age can. Swings and roundabouts really. You almost feel embarrased to admit they can do these things for fear of sounding like bragging, but why not, we are all extremely proud of our kids, whatever! and quite right too!

[jake-the-peg]

There's nothing wrong with a good start, but it's worth remembering that some of the worlds greatest minds like Albert Einstein and Richard Feynmann did not even start talking until the age of 4 or so.

Her cousin might yet amaze us all!

[gedk]

My son is just over 19 months old. He has a set of cards numbered one to ten and corresponding cards for each number with a picture on it eg a picture of a clown which goes with the number one card, a card with two tigers on it which goes with the number two card and so on.. He can correctly identify all the number cards and tell you what each of the pictures are which I think is brilliant, but then I am biased!!!! Gloat of the day over!!!

[dancecaller]

Number game (for maybe 3, 4 year olds)

You need a book (ladybird maybe) with number on 1 page and picture facing, a card big enough to cover a page, small pegs, beads or bricks for right answers

Child puts card into the book and parent guesses the number with book closed. then open book, read the number and count object in picture. If correct parent gets a brick.

Parent puts card in book and opens it so that number shows. Child guesses, then uncovers picture and counts object.

If 2 children play parent can use smaller numbers more often for younger child. Anyway make it so that they get numbers they already know more often than not

At the end child should have a higher tower of bricks, or longer string of beads than the adult, and have leant that its ok to say what you think might be right even if you are wrong

Numbers are strange, you use then to count things or to say what order they are in or how old people are. So counting playgroup children sometimes gets the response "I'm not 3, I'm 4".

If its fun, its good to learn. If they are bored let them play with something else, they learn from everything they do.