At what age is it normal to remember childhood from?

[user40816]

I realised today that I have almost no memory before the age of around 7 and even afterwards, things are hazy. But then I also realise I don't know what's normal so I'm interested to gain some perspective...

I have just a single memory from age about 3, more from about 5 onwards.

I remember one or two things from around the time I started school but mostly memories would be 6/7 +

4/5 seems to be most common and I think it's unusual to remember being younger than that. I have many clear and verifiable memories from age 5.

Many memories aged 3. One hazy memory of an injury aged 2.

I'm not sure there is a normal.
Dh has few memories before secondary.
I have a number from 3yo and younger.
Tbf several big events happened to me around that time so I can date then though.

Most people say around 6:7 years.

I moved house several times before I was seven which has helped me place memories - but also I think I probably took more things in. I’ve got a couple of memories of things when I was 2 (one was visiting a relative in hospital which dates it pretty exactly). Quite a few memories from 3-5 and lots from 5-7 (I moved age 3,5,7 so they’re all linked to different places and settings).

my husband has no memories before about 7, and frankly even his memories before 10 are pretty rubbish. He moved but only a few streets away.

My grandad (who despite his age, has no memory problems) has a photo of himself in a class aged about 5/6. He has no idea at all about what the school was, where he was etc.

I have a couple of hazy memories from when I was at playgroup aged 2-3 although one of these is quite confused. I remember a boy falling off a trike and was taken to the kitchen at the back of the hall and then we were told he went to hospital and I must have had no idea what a hospital was because I just imagined he went somewhere to watch a video which made him feel better - very bizarre.

I have a few quite clear memories of going to nursery and some activities I did there. I even remember the name of a girl who went there who went on to go to school with me.

Then more memories of primary school including my first day and inviting half the class over for dinner and not telling my mum

i can remember events from around 3 onwards…

I remember going to see my brother when he was born when I was 2 and a half

Me and my mother once had an animated debate with a doctor who insisted it was medically impossible to remember anything from before the age of 5. I can clearly remember things from before my brother was born which was when I was 2.5. Including a street party for Charles and Di's wedding when I was 18 months old. My mum has similar memories from an early age.

I was could read by age 2 though so I wonder if my brain was just very good at laying down memories and I solidified them in a way that most people don't.

My sister cannot remember anything earlier than 9/10 yrs old.
I remember everything from being 2 ish- and even having my photo done under 1 - picture of my grandma holding me in the back lane outside her house! It's weird how different people's experiences are-I would take issue with anyone who says no one can remember under 5! I have clear memories of being in a double buggy with my sister so was under 3 for sure.

My father had a memory from before he was 18 months old. He clearly recalled sitting in a high chair watching people skating on a frozen lake. Grandmother said they moved from the house overlooking that lake when he was 18 months.
I can remember being 2 years old and successfully climbing out of my cot, and also at that age fighting and shouting at my mother as she held me on the floor to try and put dungarees on me. I’m autistic, and have some selective very clear memories from different bits of my early childhood, but there are many gaps.

I have clear memories from about 3. Playgroup, etc. But I remember my terry nappy being changed in my mum’s bathroom then toddling off out and she always said we were out of nappies at 2.

DH remembers barely anything though.

I have a few hazy memories of 3-5. Lots from 6 onwards. One of my kids remembers a lot from when she was 3+.

hmmmmmmm……I remember play school, I have memories of being at home with my mum while my sister was at school and picking her up from school in my buggy so that would be 3 and 4….

Our house was extended when I was 3.5 (good old photo album where my mum wrote the dates!) and I do have memories of the building site home was but struggle to think what the house was like prior to that.

It’s crazy what memories stick isn’t it? When you think of all those days at school and the most absolute random things you can remember but ultimately most days are long gone.

Me and my friends were trying to name our whole primary school class the other week. I could recall I think 25 out of 30 which isn’t bad but memory had completely slipped for the remaining 5 until ny friend dug out a picture!

I remember an event just before I was three but only very hazily - sort of picture of a place in my head. Then I remember first day of school when I was 5, so I think you probably only remember significant things from that long ago

I remember scraping my shoes along the pavement in my buggy and my mum keep putting my feet back on the plastic strap. She says I was about 2. My memories are scattered so I really wouldn't know what order they were in or exact age - however, we moved to a different region when I was 7 and I have loads of memories from where I lived before - hundreds from 2-7yrs.

I think moving region aided me retaining many memories as I missed home a lot for a few years and though about it and talked about my childhood there a lot, still do

I have a memory of standing up in my cot age about 2. A clear memory of meeting my baby sister age 3 and also can remember being in the reception class age 5. I'm 62 now

First memories age 2 y 8 m when my brother was born. Very clearly remember waking up and my mum wasn’t there. Taken out for the day by grandparents and paddling in very cold water (it was early April) Running down the corridor at the maternity hospital to see my mum and brother. Baby being brought home and put on the sofa. It’s all very clear. Lots of memories from that point on. Playgroup, playing in the garden, being looked after by neighbours, listen with mother on the radio. I am often told I have a very good memory for dates and events so maybe it just started young.

I have several clear memories from around age 3 onwards. We moved house to another village when I was 4.5yrs so easy to date the memories of being in the other house/village/preschool.
Some of the memories are so clear, I can still remember specific conversations I had with people when I couldn't have been older than 4.
I thought it was quite normal to have clear memories that far back but I don't know anyone else IRL that does

I remember my reins and plastic pants also my pushchair so vivid memories from 18 months

I have isolated memories from around 2-3, and more ‘joined-up’ memories from about 4 onwards.
Like a pp, I think my earliest memory is of me sustaining an injury. I remember running barefoot along a veranda straight into a deckchair which made one of my toes bleed! The house with a veranda dated the incident pretty accurately to the summer of my 2nd birthday.

I can remember playschool so maybe aged 4? And reception class mobile classroom and the picture card on my coat peg.