Bright dd suddenly want to to get everything wrong

[lolaismyfavoriteandmybest]

dd is just turned 3. she is (or maybe should put was) ver interested in numbers and letters. by 2.5 she knew her numbers to 100 and can(could) add and subtract 1 or 2 to or from numbers. Now she pretends she can't recognise single digits. (and will argue that black is white until she's blue in the face!)

It's the same story with her letters and reading. she pretends she can't do anything. (although she occasionally has flashes of interest with reading as she really wants to read)

She has been going for 2.5h per day to pre school. I'm not sure if she is trying to "fit in" but I suspect the rest of the children recognise their numbers and letters as she is the very youngest so she would be trying to be behind.

has anybody else gone though this kind of phase? should I push her or just let it go when she deliberatly gets things wrong?

I'd just leave it completely. She sounds clever, maybe she's trying to tell you she'd rather do something other than letters and numbers?

DS is the same age. He also wants to read ("...how do I get the words out Mum?) but disengages when I try to show him "sounds".
I think it bores him, so I just read to him instead.

I'd drop it. Don't be tempted to test to see what she knows, take the lead from her and leave letters and numbers altogether.

Just read to her. The rest will come, she won't get stupider! My son started reading at 2.6 however we still have days when I'll ask him to read to me but he'll say he can't. It just means he doesn't want to. (Today he read a paragraph perfectly - but backwards - to prove he 'couldn't' read!) Pushing anything at this age does more harm than good. Read to her with her on your knee and point to each word as you do so.

It does sound like she's getting bored of working on letters and numbers.
Just let her do what she prefers at the moment and she will rekindle her interest when she is ready and doesnt feel pushed into it, honestly

At this age they go through bouts of interest, and then just want to play.

You need to be very careful that she doesn't get the idea that she can 'please you' by getting reading etc right. This could lead to attention seeking by refusing to do it, or lead to over-perfectionism, where she won't try things she's 'not good at' in case of failure.

There's no hurry - and they don't get any prizes for reading early! What's more, early readers often get bored in reception, and the others catch up anyway, so it's nice if they can get to reception and be excited by what they're learning.

She's just discovered that she can tell you the wrong number, etc. and is enjoying doing it - it will pass soon.