Clever 2.5 yo?

[Crispspaprika]

Fully prepared for a bashing here but my 2 yo (2 years+7 mos) seems to be clever, but shes my first so I haven’t got the slightest.

• does 24-piece puzzles without assistance and without looking at the box, does 36-50 pieces the same way but with v minimal guidance
• picked up a second language from the childminder and is now speaking it
• has started reading, recognises letters but can also make many sounds and beginning to blend sounds (simple words, choo, cat, stop, her name)
• draws stick figures and faces with different parts (two eyes, nose, mouth, etc). It’s not at all beautiful but seems far from the scratches and scribbles she did 6 mos ago.

do these seem like average abilities for a 2.5 yo? Should I do anything to help her or just let her be?

She does sound bright
I'd say just leave her be and let her have fun 😄 what language is it, out of interest?

I’d let her be and remember that everyone starts reception at the same time , regardless of their ability.

When you say she can read, does she understand it or is she just decoding? I ask because I’m wondering if she is hyperlexic.

Definitely clever! I have taught many nursery-aged children and I can think only 1 child in 10 years of teaching could do that!

Encourage her reading, it’s such a great skill and maybe consider starting an instrument when she is 3? Otherwise let her develop as she is, she sounds like she is learning very well on her own

Reading early can be a sign of autism too. My niece could read from the age of two. It was incredible. I actually highlighted it to her parents as I noticed this and it lead to her getting her diagnosis. Her parents have worked hard to help her and she’s thriving

She does sound bright, my two couldn't have done those things at that age!

I was reading at that age and it was hyperlexia. Finally diagnosed autistic a few years ago.

She sounds bright and is doing more than you’d expect for her age. But too soon to say whether she is a genius or just precocious and will average out.

just enjoy her and help her peruse things that interest her but don’t push her too much at her age.

As an early years teacher this was my first thought. If she's hyperlexic then she's also very likely to be autistic which is worth keeping in mind.

My DS1 was like this, first word at 5 months putting words together in short sentences at a year, counting in English and French by 2 and recognising words and reading very early. I have wondered many things over the years, was it autism? No it wasn’t . He has a physical disability, could it be that he developed quickly in those areas because he was slower to crawl walk etc? I don’t think it was that either in retrospect as his younger brother is also very clever. He is 22 now did his undergraduate degree and now his MA at a highly prestigious university and loving life.
Enjoy your little girls amazing achievements and encourage her love of learning. None of us know what is around the corner and our 22 years have flown by with incredible highs and lows but it’s been very interesting from start to now.

Thank you all, I reckon we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing. We read loads. Can anyone say more about hyperlexia? I was also a very early reader, my mum is gone now so I don’t know exactly when I first read, but when I started primary school (overseas, where I was born) I was already reading chapter books. I am not autistic that I am aware of.

she does love music and sings loads so perhaps I’ll look into some sort of instrument or lesson for her.

Spanish. We speak English at home.

she recognises letters and can name them “b for bear, a for apple” and points them out excitedly when she sees them on adverts or signs. She has started to match the letters with the phonics and identify syllables and blend the sounds “ch-oo ch-oo”. She does this enough with random books (a new one from the library for example) that I don’t think she’s just memorised particular books. Although she does recognise certain words and symbols, mostly shops, like “look mummy there’s the Sainsbury’s car” if she sees the delivery vehicle, for example.

She can also read some numbers, if we’re in a lift and I asked her to push a particular button she seems to know which one I mean, but doesn’t always get this right.

My youngest son could read fluently at 3 and was blending a 2, he was hyperlexic now has high functioning autistic.

My son was the same with puzzles at that age. I couldn't believe it. Similar with early phoneme recognition at 2.5. He was a "Free Reader" by the end of Reception and was reading Harry Potter (with full understanding) by Easter Y1. He's very bright, but also very intense and needs support with relationship building.

DS1 was a whizz at jigsaws. I’d say he was above average at reading, maths etc.
He went on to do very, very well academically.
He just seemed bright if you know what I mean.

She's sounds absolutely lovely and very bright.

What should you do about it? Exactly the same as if you had a child who wasn't particularly bright!

Engage with her at her level and about things that interest her. Expose her to as many new experiences and ideas as you can. Observe and note things that she's interested in and think about how you can deepen and extend these activities. Give her lots of cuddles. Have as much fun as possible. Make sure she has time to be bored and entertain herself. Have as little screen time as possible.

Yes, your child is super able. It’s no longer the thing to discuss intelligence, or brain power, but honestly she’s a smart child. I have a child who was/is v able. Passed all 11+ and academic scholarships to the top London private schools that he applied for. I also wasn’t sure if what he was doing was “normal” at age 2-3, but I was pretty sure that it was also noticeably different, e.g. counting into large numbers, knowing - and crucially remembering - a lot about the natural world. At 12 mths I recall him building high and super neat towers with bricks, and even that seemed to be a lot different from his mates! So yes, you have an able child. Not at all autistic. Is very socially able with lots of mates!! Know this is not something I’d have discussed in real life, so I’ll tell you here!

@Deap thank you, yes she does building too, with duplo, blocks, or magnetic tiles. Fairly complex 3D structures, and also very high and tidy towers (as tall as she is), it seems more complex than what her cousins of a similar age have done, more like what an older cousin who is 7 builds. Not as complex but nonetheless more than I would have expected? She has positive feedback from the childminder, seems to make fried easily, chats with other children at the playground and plays well with them, listens well and is kind, so socially seems alright for now.

Just to even it out apparently i was an early reader at a similar age. I remember i had a reading age of 14 at 9. Not diagnosed Autistic and no suspicions of. I’ve worked with neurodivergent children and know how to recognise it. My intelligent side evened out in high school ( or my interest did maybe)

Also saying this as a mid forties peri menopausal woman can’t bloody spell or retain information at the moment 😜

@Crispspaprika enjoy your lovely little girl and just let her develop with normal curiosity, encouragement and play.

I was an early reader like your daughter and am now a non-autistic senior academic.