What are the characteristics of a gifted child? What distinguishes the future genius in the circle of peers and how not to miss the manifestation of children's talents. Read 10 signs that you are growing a gifted child.
Each parent can effortlessly discern a future genius in his baby. However, giftedness is not given to everyone. According to the observations of psychologists, about a quarter of children in preschool and primary school age show exceptional abilities in one or more areas of development. It is very important to “pick up” these abilities and give them direction in the right direction. There are several criteria by which you can determine that your child is different from their peers. If you notice one or more of these signs in him, pay extra attention to the development of the baby's abilities.
"Golden period" for manifestation creativity and the development of special talents in children occurs at the age of 5-8 years. It is at this age that you can notice signs of giftedness and increased intellectual potential in a baby. However, don't confuse giftedness with learning or training outcomes. You may well "train" a five-year-old child for knowledge atypical for his age. With some effort, you can learn the multiplication table with your baby, memorize all the countries of the world with capitals, or teach him to read two years before school. Children willingly do what brings joy to mom or dad, but this will be the result of genital labor.
True giftedness in babies appears spontaneously. Its main difference lies in the fact that children are drawn to new things not on a tip from their parents, but out of their own motives. For the sake of their favorite activity, they are ready to give up the cartoon, and will not grab the candy until they finish what they are doing at the moment. The National Association for Gifted Children has existed in America for over 50 years. This organization proposes to determine the outstanding levels of children's ability according to 10 main criteria.
Outstanding memory
In order for a gifted kid to remember some information, it is enough for him to see or hear something new once. Such a child can easily retell a rhyme, effortlessly recall the details of a story that his mother read yesterday, or describe in detail what happened to him the other day during a walk.
Large vocabulary
Gifted children from an early age quickly grasp new words, phrases and phrases. They not only remember them, but understand their meaning and always apply them to the place. For such children, already at three or four years old, it is typical to speak in coherent complex sentences. Often they build their speech so thoughtfully and seriously that they resemble little academics.
Craving for reading and new knowledge
Gifted kids start reading early and love books / istockphoto.com
Teaching a gifted child to read will not be a problem. Usually they themselves start learning letters on signs, and imperceptibly for parents to compose them into syllables and even into words. Having mastered the skill of reading, such children become real book lovers - they readily read to themselves and love to read aloud to friends and parents. From an early age, they know how to search for information: not only in books, but also on the Internet.
Increased curiosity
Gifted children belong to little "why". They are always interested in what and why is happening, where it comes from and how it ends. On a walk and at home, they do not give their parents peace of mind, bombard them with a bunch of questions and often baffle them with these very questions. At two years old, they are interested in where the rain comes from and how the stars keep in the sky, and at the age of five they may well ask their mother how the human skeleton works.
Ability to concentrate
The ability for prolonged concentration of attention is manifested in children, usually at the age of six. This is one of the main criteria by which it is determined child's readiness for school. Gifted children can concentrate much earlier. It is easy for them to hold attention for a long time - and even on those things that are not of particular interest to them.
Attention to details
Gifted children are observant and attentive to detail / istockphoto.com
Most children do not attach importance to the little things and do not show much interest in details. Gifted kids are not like that. They notice things that even adults do not pay attention to. For example, some minor inconsistencies in the plot of a book or cartoon, someone's illogical behavior or repetitive events. Such kids willingly solve logic puzzles and love to play detectives. In addition, they are excellent manipulators, because they can calculate in advance the behavior and reactions of loved ones.
The ability to occupy yourself
A gifted child is never bored alone. He will not follow his mom with a tail and pester that he has nothing to do. Without much discomfort, a gifted child will find something to fill his free time with - he will draw, disassemble or build something, look at books or play with himself. Such a kid will definitely find something interesting, even if you come to visit where there are no toys. And he rarely asks adults to come up with something to do.
Boredom among peers
Often, gifted children are bored with their peers. They are drawn to socializing with older children and love to be among adults. During children's games, such a child can quietly leave the group of toddlers and come to the company of parents to listen to their conversations. Or step aside and think of something else to do. This suggests that the kid has "outgrown" his one-year-old intellectually, and is no longer interested in games "by age."
"Immersion" in the topic
A gifted child immerses himself in his favorite activity / istockphoto.com
If a gifted child is interested in something, he "goes" into this topic headlong and will not calm down until he learns everything he needs. Such a child himself, without the help and without the "feeding" of the parents, can study the map of the starry sky, understand the electronic constructor or create animation on the computer. At the same time, it is almost impossible to distract him at the moment when he is busy with something interesting to him.
Criticism and introspection
Gifted children always evaluate themselves and the results of their work. They do not like "empty" praise and may themselves refuse an award that they, in their opinion, did not deserve. If such a kid drew a drawing, he will always critically assess it and note where and what he failed. If he did some work, he himself will tell you where it could be done better.
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