My just turned 3 year old can read and write

[Rockean]

This isn’t a brag post, although. I’m pretty sure it’s going to come across like one.

My son just turned 3 and he can write his name, write basic/familiar words that he can sound out (the letters are recognisable) and he can sound out words when we look at books together. He loves playing with his magnetic letters and puts them together to create words, he can tell me what they say too.

He’s taught himself this through watching Alphablocks and reading books with us since he was tiny, particularly a phonics book that had all the sounds and alphabet written out with pictures of each letter of the alphabet next to them,

I’m just wondering if this is unusual?

He also doesn’t really play with toys, even though he has plenty of them, he'd much rather look at books and line up his alphabet letters or make words out of them. He’ll also sit with his magma doodle or white board and pen and just write things out. He’s done it at soft play when other kids are playing and I’ve bought his magma doodle.
I want him to play with toys too and I try to encourage him, but obviously I don’t want to discourage him from the books/letters and phonic sounds , but equally he’s going to know much more than most of his peers when he starts school, so I’m worried it’ll be boring for him.

I could do that at 3. It has no indication of future earnings or career.

Agree with the PP who said to look up hyperlexic.

The one child I know who was able to do that is autistic. He was a very early speaker and has always had great speech. He has always liked playing board games and maths games with an adult but has never had an interest in toys or role play or just playing around with children.

My DD was very similar. Always loved reading and books more than anything else, from about 18 months old. She learned basic phonics by about 2.5 , and She was reading fairly fluently long before school.
We didn't "hothouse" or force it - it was genuinely what she was interested in, she led all of the learning.
No hyperlexia/asd. And she absolutely loved every second of school - definitely never bored. School is about so much more than learning to read.
She's a very normal girl who just loved learning and that has continued - she's just turned 21 and is in her final year at Oxford.

Thanks for all the input! It’s interesting getting other perspectives.

My partner (DS’s dad) had parents who pushed him as a child and teenager, because he was very bright and because they both had academic jobs. But it had the opposite desired impact and he became quite disinterested and did the bare minimum.

It’s unusual.

Also magma doodle is making me laugh!

Hyperlexia came to my mind too.

It’s certainly not a disadvantage to be an avid reader.

My DS was exactly the same and also learnt from alpha blocks and self taught from the internet and age appropriate books lying around. He was brilliant at puzzles back then too.
He's slightly on the spectrum but otherwise high functioning and doing very well at Secondary School and has a nice group of friends. He did have to be constantly reminded and taught how to behave socially and it took a while to sink
in that a lot of what he was saying was inappropriate.

My ds didn’t pick up a pen until he was 5, didn’t take to reading until he was 6/7 ish.

He’s now 12 and is in higher level sets and is thriving in secondary education.

They just develop at different rates

He's probably just very bright. My sister taught herself how to read and write from a similar age and she's just naturally super academic and probably the cleverest person that I know. As long as he's happy I'd just run with it. As for school being boring, I'd just wait and see how he gets on. As my mother says 'no use worrying about something that hasn't happened yet!'.

I could read at the age of 4...I peaked early!

I mean this could go a number of ways, he could level off when he gets to school, he could be autistic and this is his particular interest, or he could be super-bright. Any of these are fine and you sound like you are doing the right thing by encouraging him to have other interests and skills whilst still enjoying his reading and writing.

My DD is 3.5 and she recognises some letters but not all and is definitely not reading or even close to I wouldn’t say. She has a fair few little pals of the same age and none of them are doing this either. Unless my DD, her pre school friends and all our old NCT pals are super backwards, I think this sounds pretty unusual and advanced. Sounds like he loves letters and reading OP which is a great thing at any age.

The pp who have replied saying this is usual are trying to knock you. It is not usual, it is very unusual and very advanced.

My DD could read freely, ie pick up eg Charlotte's web and read to herself at 4.5 when she started school and the school had to put additional resources in place for her as they hadn't encountered a child like this before. It's is a good school in an area near a top university so the kids who go there are bright.

She was not doing what your child is at 3.

Admittedly that's my yardstick, but many kids aren't even at this level starting primary school, nevermind at 3.

I echo what the more sensible PP have said about giving your DC a wide range of interests so they can be broad rather than an excellent reader with no other interests.

Enjoy this, it's a great gift for a child to keep themselves amused with a book from 3/4 onwards.

I have ancient home videos of myself (with my bum out), reading off flash cards at 18 months. I could also apparently write a few basic words, my name etc. in typically huge handwriting from about 2.5 years. I had NOTHING on my older sister though, she was a whole other level.

Our mother was/still is a primary school teacher and extremely brilliant with young children, so I guess that's where it came from. I don't think it's 'usual', especially not these days, but it's certainly not unheard of. I think when you have a child with a genuine interest combined with exposure/the means to learn, then learning is exactly what occurs. As long as everyone's happy with that, then that's cool.

I don't think it necessarily means all that much though. I, personally, have done precisely zero with my life. 🤷

Fortunately I didn't need to push him or do anything much actually. His schools were very good at setting extra tasks for him. He'll be taking his GCSEs soon and it's all sinking in and he got very good grades in his mocks. He's good at getting on with his work as it all sinks in despite being on his laptop and PS with his friends a lot if the time.

DD has to work harder to get close to where he is but she'll be fine but will have to put in more study hours in certain subjects like maths as her brain is normal whereas he gets it immediately

My 3yo can write their name and a few other words, count and write out numbers, read simple words. I do think it’s unusual.. but I also know that there is loads to learn at school and they all read and write eventually. My other child couldn’t write their name before starting school but is now in the top few % academically a few years later. So in answer to your question, I’m sure they won’t be bored. There’s a lot to learn even just being with other children/sharing/role play

Also my Dd never really liked toys despite having lots. The ELC kitchen, garage, easel all went pretty unused. She loved writing sets, envelopes and stickers to use as stamps. She also likes musical instruments, she's 12 now never had lessons, doesn't want them but learns on youtube and plays the keyboard quite well although I'm sure her musical theory is nonexistent and her finger position is lacking but she memorises songs and can play them.

My nephew was like this.

He’s now 7 and has struggled at school since many of the kids have caught up with him and he’s now on a level playing field.

My own DS who’s also 7 couldn’t read a word beyond his name when he started and he’s now at the same level as my nephew.

Kids are different and do things at different times. My DH was an early reader according to my MIL and he’s done well for himself but he’s not set the Heather on fire the way in the way that i think my MIL though he would

@SoniaFouler

Can’t most 3 year olds do that?

Mine could. She’s 5 now and at the same level as her peers.

It’s normal OP.

Unless you’re concerned about the not playing/lining items up. Some kids do this anyway, but if you’re concerned, for instance about ASD, it’s best to speak to your GP.

My youngest son (who is now 18) taught himself to read at 3 from playing on a website called Starfall. By Kindergarten (we are in USA, so equivalent of Year 1) he was reading at a 4th Grade Level (Year 5). But, while he could read the words at that level he could not comprehend what he was reading at that level. As the years went on he became less and less interested in reading. Eventually by the pre-teen years he hated reading (and still does to this day). So while he could read at a very early age, in the long run it meant nothing. Oh, and he IS Autistic so a lot of what you described did have me wondering if your son was also Autistic.

@generalh

I could read at the age of 4...I peaked early!

Me too loved reading. Now I don't seem to get the time.

Mine could do all that at 3 and before she got to school could read and write short sentences. She actually knew her alphabet and could recognise and say letters before she was 1 although she couldn't crawl let alone walk at that point. She is no genius just got a B and a D at A level having been put back a year summer birthday). She also has a lot of sensory issues and is dyspraxic. So great if he can do that but no real indication that he will be at all ahead by the time he is .

My son was very similar as a young child. He talked early, picked up readong and writing with ease. His reading age at 9 was 16. He is very bright when it comes to anything logical, such as maths problems or computing. He's into coding at the moment. However he struggles massively with anything imaginative, creative writing or art. He also finds it very difficult to identify his feelings and communicate them to others. He makes eye contact and is very expressive. He is very sensory, always hated loud noises, can't stand fireworks or the feel of shoes. The disparities between his academic level and his social awareness have become more and more obvious with age. He's very loving, adores animals, and has a huge passion for learning. He's not always great with social situations. But he is himself, and who he is includes being autistic with the challenges that comes with it.

I don't think it's that unusual. I could certainly read before I started school, not sure about writing. I don't have autism.

Dd could read and write at 3, she's autistic. I should add it's really no benefit reading that early, so please don't feel bad if your kids aren't reading yet so young, her younger sister out performed her when it really mattered, a levels and degree despite being 6 before she could read, same household, same opportunities

I love it when people come on these threads and say “it’s normal” or “most 3 year olds can do that”!

Are you guys educational experts? I guess not. It’s not normal - it’s very unusual.

Possible autism, possibly just bright. Definitely something to be monitored OP and raised wish future educational settings. Do they notice anything else for example?