is this a 'normal' level of development in a nearly three year old?

[fullofregrets]

DS is 2.10. I felt he was doing ok (not a genius but about average) until seeing on babycentre people complaining that their children have regressed from being able to count to 100 and will only now write a few letters and can only do 35 piece jigsaw! My DS has never done any of those things let alone repressed from being able to do them!

He can:
Count to 20 by rote.
Touch count to 8
Do some simple addition and subtraction using pictures or objects to 8.
Recognises numbers to 20
Recognises some letters, mostly out of his name.
Spells name aloud by rote.
Knows colours, 2d shapes some 3d shapes etc.
Good vocabulary and I think very good imaginary play.
Recalls stories by heart.
Knows a few words by sight.
Beginning to know opposites.
Very good at identifying emotions and feelings of others.

But he does not:
Do jigsaws. At all. Won't even try.
Do bigger and smaller on a number line (wtf?!)
Draw anything recognizable apart from the occasional face or cat. No interest. None.
Hold pencil properly.
Write any letters or his name.
Know many letter sounds. Only their names.

He just has no interest in writing or drawing. He will paint but that is it.

Think this still falls under normal? I don't want him to be behind when he starts nursery but I can't force him to draw or write. It would probably put him off even more!

Hahaha is this for real? Or is it a typo and the child 10.2, if so then yes he sounds quite backward. The only strange one is the jigsaws but probably he doesnt like them?

Sounds normal to me! Not all kids like drawing or jigsaws just like not all adults do! He sounds like he's doing fine

Will not even attempt the jigsaws. He uses to do the wooden ones with the shapes when he was smaller but will not try even ones with six pieces. Just chucks the pieces on the floor and says no!

And I suppose I worry, although know I shouldn't compare, when my friend tells me her daughter who is only six months older than my DS is writing her name.

I don't think she could six months ago but to be honest can't see DS doing it anytime soon as he won't put pen to paper!

If you're comparing children at this age, gawd help you when he starts school.

Surely at this age they are meant to be children? My daughter is just turned 3 and tbh there are much more exciting things to teach her right now than letters and writing. Just relax and enjoy your little boy, they will all be writing essays soon enough.

HE IS NOT EVEN 3 YET

please, please stop fretting about whether he is normal, and keep away from the competitive parenting.

FWIW my ds1 couldn't count to a hundred at 3, in fact he didn't start speaking "properly" until he was 2.9.
He didn't do jigsaws and still couldn't decide what hand to hold his pencil in by reception.
He is 13 now, and one of the brightest children in his year.
Step away from the competitive parents, they are probably lying anyway :(

And I suppose I worry, although know I shouldn't compare, when my friend tells me her daughter who is only six months older than my DS is writing her name.

I misread that post originally and thought she was writing her name at 6 months old - now that would be impressive.

But someone could make that sort of claim on-line and you would have no way of verifying it. I would only believe what you see with your own eyes (which will put it into context) and you will find that, while some kids can do more than yours, others will be doing much, much less.

I can not do jigsaws, and I am 38 :)

Dont see the need or the reason tbh to be trying to teach such a young child letters, numbers, to write, read - why would you do this? Surely they should be playing, pottering around etc

I've never done a jigsaw in my life, and I'm 34. I remember thinking they were pointless when I was a kid - look at the box if you want to see the picture! . I went to one of Oxbridge, if it makes you feel any better

Also, is it just me, or is there a growing trend for parents to try and get toddlers to read and write, before they start school? I'm sure my parents never did any of that...whatever happened to playdough??

I always said I'd never get drawn into competitive parenting. I mean logically it only matters what my child does. No one likes to think their child might be struggling though.
The trouble is there are so many more goals for them to meet and a lot more is expected of them by 3 or 4 than it used to be.
Reception didn't even exist when I was at school, you started the term after you were 5, not 4.

I know, I agree. I was in reception, but you definitely weren't expected to be able to do anything when you started! And there was still loads of playing. In fact, I found my old reception books in my parents' house last year, and the writing was started from scratch, really basic copying of words like cat in the beginning, short sentences by the end (at which point I was 5.7)

For his age he is quite advanced at a few things. But the thing you need to concentrate on is doing the jigsaws. Writing and writing is about recognising shapes and putting them together. Doing jigsaws will enable him to practice the cognitive skills needed to do this. It will aslo help him with developing the small motor skills needed to hold a pencil and write.
I'm not saying it's essential but it will certainly help him.

*reading and writing

The thing is he can do shape puzzles and things on the iPad. And virtual jigsaws. Like that quite a lot. Some of the shape puzzles are fairly complicated.

But actual real jigsaws? Nope. Either can't or won't do it. Hard to know if he can or not since he won't even try.
I will keep encouraging him.

But which superhero does he want to be when he grows up?

Your child sounds lovely

Enjoy him

DD is 2.5 years and wouldn't even think of encouraging her to write

If children don't start school till 4 at the earliest what are they supposed to know when they are 3/4? Genuinely interested...are nurseries just mini-schools nowadays?

My 5 year old starts kindergarten in September (in Canada). He is picking things up as he wants to - we always read to him daily but aside from that he writes etc. when he expresses an interest (not very often). He is really bright and has an amazing vocabulary. I prefer that he is happy and enjoys playing and socializing. He has 13 years of school at a minimum about to start so plenty of time for reading, writing and maths if you ask me. No rush!

It sounds like your DS is advanced in many areas (if that matters to you), doing puzzles with him might be a good idea but don't fret too much. Kids are different. There is no evidence that early readers and writers are still advanced after a couple of years at school.

My three and a half year old can't do any of the stuff on your "can't do" list. Except for jigsaws. But then he loves jigsaws. And he holds a pen correctly, but only some of the time.

I wouldn't worry about it, DS won't play football or entertain any kind of sport at all except for climbing on the climbing frame or races. I'm sure they'll all work out what they like and what they don't by themselves!

Totally normal, nothing to worry about. Each child goes at their own pace. Your DS is doing enough of the things that are appropriate for his age, some better than his age, that you shouldn't worry too much about the things he isn't doing.

If you are worried about his fine motor skills try something other than jigsaws - those threading buttons and cotton reels from ELC are good for this. Make sure the jigsaws are available but don't push it. You might want to take the approach of you doing jigsaws while he is around but not actively engaging him in it - instead get one of his jigsaws down, sit at the table, talk about it "oh this is a fun jigsaw", "hmm, i just don't know where this piece goes" "ah, that's the cow's head done". See if that interests him. He might want to come and help you then rather than feeling forced to do it.

FWIW, my DS went through a huge jigsaw phase aged 2.6 to 3.6. He was a genius at jigsaws :o but was, frankly, rubbish at colouring/writing/drawing. We made arty stuff available but didn't push it. Suddenly he got it. Now at 4.1 he hardly ever gets jigsaws out but instead is in a huge drawing/writing/colouring phase which he didn't touch at all until 3.6. They get there in the end. I also think some DCs can get obsessive about certain things, like my DS, and do it to exhaustion and then move on. Your DS may not just be ready for his jigsaw phase yet!

Thanks for the suggestions and reassurance.
He will do things like threading beads and play doh, his fine motor doesn't seem too bad.
His role play and imaginative play is very very good. I'm not concerned re his language and he is lovely. He empathises very well with people and pets.

It is really the jigsaws and the drawing and the writing. If he won't draw he isnt likely to write I suppose. He will trace letters and numbers on the iPad and in sand etc but that's it!

insancerre, are there any alternative toys the OP could use to build up the skills you are mentioning?

Maybe shape sorter-type toys?