To think my friend's toddler is a genius

[flowerpowerr]

I went to visit a friend yesterday. I was shocked and impressed to hear her 26 month old DD already counting to 20 and identifying different colours! Is that normal at such an early age or is the child a genius? My friend and her DH are both bright.

Counting is not the same as knowing the number of things, toddlers can be taught to count quite high.

Try laying items out ask them to count then take the items away. Can they still remember how many?

Normal I think, both of mine have been able. Second child talked in full sentences and about more complex subjects a lot sooner than eldest but I assume that this is due to her trying to keep up with the eldest rather than her being a genius.

DD was counting to 20 before two, knew shapes, colours, animals, body parts, left and right, her alphabet.
She's late being reliably dry in big girl pants.
They pick up things at different rates.

most boring stealth boast ever.

By the way, kid is 2 not 26 sodding months. Just say 2!

Yes, completely normal as the child is over 2yrs old.

At that age DD1 had five words, which she spoke occasionally. Not that they made sense outside family and nursery (when she chose to speak at nursery)

DD2 had an amazing memory for events and a wide vocabulary.

They were both 'normal'.

Yes normal.

Actually, the one of mine who at the moment seems to be the brightest (120s in SATs, gold maths challenge etc) was, as a toddler, much less good at talking and less curious about the world than older siblings.

And my best mate had a baby a month before me and, when they were three, got very upset that mine was writing her name and drawing herself when hers couldn’t hold a pencil.

That baby got one grade higher than mine in his Alevels (they both did well).

They're such sponges at that age and it is amazing what information they can retain and repeat.

Well my nephew can count at least to 20, and backwards from 20. Recognises numbers out of sequence and can recite the alphabet. Apart from having a big head he seems normal...

Friends 2 year old was explaining different types of dinosaurs to me last week, and naming lots of them.

My 2 year old can count well and knows his colours. He also ran face first into a table the other day giving himself a nosebleed so he's not all that bright...

Because even the OP would think it totally unremarkable if the child was a week off 3!

DS could identfiy primary colours, green, black and white by 23 months - so 1 by your reckoning! Must be a genius!

There are loads things that are advanced at 24 months but pretty average at 35 months. There has to be some way to differentiate; can you think of a simpler one?

Whether this child is anything special is if he can really count rather thank just chanting numbers. If you ask him to bring you, say 18 bricks, would he be able to do this?

Very normal.

My one friend who was an actual genius picked up a newspaper at 2 and started reading out loud the complete article. His mom had no clue he even knew letters. He was later tested and had an IQ of 182.

My lovely average child could count and identify colours and letters. No newspaper articles though!

nope, your kid is just 'normal'. but really nothing wrong with that. HTH

Dd has always had a great memory, so she could count quite high at that age, but she didn’t know what it meant. She is bright, but no genius.

I'm impressed. My 5 year old can't do that yet.

Very average Russell Group .... its a shame you can't feel more proud. Maybe he's over on stately homes.

It varies. There are a lot of toddlers who have been learning by repetition from parents or utube or music in the car. There are also a lot of 2 year olds who can do the instinctive recognition of a number of objects. And read simple things. Then there are 2 year olds who have zero interest in numbers and letters at that age. A lot of parents will tell you that the former is normal. But both are.

Depends what you mean by counting? Reciting numbers 1-20 is not unusual at that age but being able assign the correct number to a group of objects would be.

My son is 3, and has just completed his second Phd, whilst working as a surgeon.

I personally think my child is a genius because at 8 months when I sing ‘if you’re happy and you know it’ he automatically starts clapping his hands!

.....other times he crawls straight into the wall but hey?!

Average. A genius 2yr old would be tri-lingual, playing a musical instrument and reading Harry Potter by now.

26 months is better than 2 or 3 years when you’re asking about development.

It does sound well within the range of average, OP.

I can’t remember how many colours mine knew at that age, but due to a Facebook memory the other day, I am reminded of a trip at that age where I had a property detailed back and forth conversation. I used to get stopped in the supermarket by people asking how old she was, and commenting on her speech. Nursery (started at 13 months) said they’d never had a child communicate so well, so young. She’s Y5 now. You’d certainly place her at the top end of her class verbally - but nothing extraordinary. A lot of these early differences even out.

Normal OP but also normal to feel very proud. My son is the same age and has been counting, reciting the alphabet and picking the correct colour from around 18 months. The thing to work on now is actual recognition and not just reciting. Lots of children can do you what you listed and lots can’t but may be better at other things.

I was crap at most things at school but I seem to have caught up lately

That's human, we all develop at different rates and it isn't a single line trajectory, there are a lot of peaks and troughs along the way.

he thought that the trees waved around themselves, and that’s what made the wind blow

*Tinkly - I love the uncluttered clear thinking of children, what a logical conclusion to draw!