Is it unusual for a child, not yet 2, to be able to count to 100?

[JoInScotland]

My son loves numbers. I wondered if he might be bright when he had his colours learnt at 15 months and the alphabet at 18 months, but now it's numbers numbers numbers. He counts everything you can count, and I'm worried it's becoming a bit of an obsession. How can I encourage his love of numbers, without well, "hothousing him"? I can't seem to speak to anyone about this, they all say, "Don't push him!" but believe me, he wakes up counting things, we can hear it on the baby monitor. He'll be 2 next week.

The toddler books only go up to number 10 or 12 if you're lucky. Are there good books out there for counting up to 100? I found a YouTube video yesterday that had him transfixed.... but it went on to mention 1,000 a million a billion a trillion and all the zeros sort of staggered him. I guess it was for kindergarten children?

We seem to have fallen into a gap between toddler books and kindergarten concepts?

[outofbodyexperience]

buy an abacus. there usually zillions of them either in toysrus or those naice wood shops.

it's unusual, but largely because it's an unusual thing to teach a less-than-two-yo to do. just let him read, and count stuff if he wants to when he wakes up, answer any questions, and teach him to jump in puddles. i'm not sure i'd bother doing anything else tbh.

fwiw we didn't 'teach' ds1 to count to 100, or buy anything to help him learn it, but he still somehow absorbed it and worked it out himself. if they like numbers, they'll work it out. by three ds1 would tip the penny jar out and work out multiplication and different ways to make numbers, and change from shopping. i'm sure your wee man will be the same way without trying to 'teach' him. let him get on with being two and he will absorb it naturally. you probably do it automatically anyway.

[EyeOfNewtToeOfFrog]

I'd say it's quite unusual . My two-year-old can just about make herself understood in two-word sentences ("daddy's hat!") and is beginning to work out one-two-three type counting at the moment!

[RueDeWakening]

I'd say so - my DS (2 next month) can currently count...sort of. It goes "tooo, sweee, sweee, tooo, sweee" etc etc :o (He's not mastered one yet.)

Talking about house numbers as you walk past them help DD. And she's considered unusual in her reception class for being able to count past 100.

[PippiLongBottom]

My reception boy can count in 2's to 20 and I am thrilled. Ds2 couldn't say a word at 2. We only have "mine hat" now and he is 2.6. Good job I have a genius dd.

[outofbodyexperience]

ah, pippi, it's obv 'mein hat' and he has taught himself deutsch. (am lolling at hats being the object of choice for both though...)

[soexciteddontwanttowait]

He might like this - 10 frogs - the last page has 100 wasps.

Yes it's unusual! Certainly well ahead of his peers.

I'd second an abacus.

There can be a cross-over between musicality and mathmatical ability (music being based on mathematical concepts if you look at it that way).

Is he interested in music at all I wonder?

[Ophuchi]

Yes it's very unusual. DD (22 months) also counts to 100. She sometimes likes to count the pegs in and out of the washing basket but is in no way obsessed with numbers. Like your DS, she grasped colours and letters very early too.

We don't have any number stories that go up to more than 10 either come to think of it. Funnily enough DD learnt to play Jingle Bells on the piano at Christmas time - maybe that's linked to the number thing.

I've not come across any toddlers in real life like DD but your DS sounds very similar. :)

[Lynli]

My DS is now 11 and exceptionally gifted in matematics, he could count to 100 before he was 2.

I do think it is unusual.

[rockinhippy]

my DD could do the same at a similar sort of age, very advanced vocab etc too - at 9 she also is G&T -

[Sirzy]

I wouldn't do anything specific just keep counting things with him and encourage a love of that and other things. Ds is just 2 and has mastered up to 50 and is great at puzzles (can do a 24 piece puzzle in minutes) it's just his "thing" at the moment so we go along with it but also encoraging him to do other things.

[noisytoys]

I would seriously look into getting a psychology assessment because he does seem very advanced for his age. I don't know about all areas but round here (essex) a very gifted child is given an educational statement the same as a child at the other end of the spectrum would be given one. The school they attend are given extra funding and support, you get a choice of schools regardless of if they are oversubscribed etc. My daughter was a member of Mensa age 3 and is now an accademic year ahead of her age, and has a 1-1 teaching assistant to keep her stimulated (in a state school). It doesnt (IMO) make you a pushy parent, just one that wants to do the best for your child xxx

[PippiLongBottom]

Wow noisytoys. What sort of things could your dd do at three?

[noisytoys]

She can read books without pictures (10 or more lines per page), do 100 piece jigsaws, write in sentences, add, subtract and multiply and complete an iq test. She was talking in 2-3 word sentences age 7 months and in paragraphs by 2. Google Saffron Pledger she was in the national news as the brightest recorded 3 year old a few months ago xx

[RitaMorgan]

Is he actually counting, or just reciting the numbers?

Most children his age would be expected to recite a few number names, and actually have an understanding of 1 and 2, so counting to 100 is very unusual.

To keep him interested, I would try giving him lots of practical opportunites to count (counting out pegs or coins for you). Give him collections of things to sort/order (eg put 10 in each basket).

You can maybe provide opportunities for him to calculate as well as just count, by comparing the amount of objects in two groups, adding two groups of objects together and counting the total etc. Encourage him to say which has more and which has less.

[noisytoys]

Also walking down the street looking at door numbers is a good start to multiplication because odd numbers are on one side and even numbers on the other. Also if he can count to 100, he can count to 999 x

[ibizagirl]

My dd now 12 has always been classed as "gifted" and has been on that stupid g and t thing since the year dot! She was always counting too and separating things into colours or certain shapes etc. I suppose it is unusual for such an early age as when i used to help at primary school, some year 6 couldn't add two numbers together and i mean basic stuff. I also taught dd to read and write early and was almost told off by her reception teacher (she didn't go to a nursery) because they like them all to start really with no skills at all! When we went out in the car, dd would count things like caravans and counting dhl lorries was a favourite. We also played ispy. Counting money was always a good one and also telling the time early. And yes, puzzles as well. Now 12 dd is still very into maths and all things "school" and likes the professor layton games on ds because its puzzles etc. Good luck with everything.

[Iamnotminterested]

ibizagirl Professor Layton? love it! Although a few of the puzzles on the last one are eluding me...

[perceptionreality]

Yes, definitely unusual - my dd is 2 and her nursery said she was bright because she can recognise numbers up to 20.

[imaginethat]

Yes it is unusual. In ece, counting to 100 is a goal for 4yos. So he is well ahead.

I'm all for facilitating the interest, I have a lovely Usborne book with counting up to 100 and there are bound to be others.

[Shargal]

My son also can count to 100 in 3 languages and know the alphabet by 18 months he also loves singing knows all ten words and sings to Adele and Elvis

[Muu9]

Here is a list of books involving counting, many of which go to 100. Note that these aren't curricular books, but nonfiction ones.

For something more curricular, look here for a full curriculum.

The video you mentioned was likely not meant for kindergarteners; they aren't expected to know place value or really big numbers.

There is, of course, a lot to math besides counting. You could focus on the number line, greater than and less than, etc.

[PearCrumbleCustard]

It is unusual, DS was like this but he also has SEN.
I think some kids do just love ‘delving’ into a subject and we should give them what they want - if your DS wants numbers everywhere, give him that. He will start to expand by himself naturally.

[LadyWiddiothethird]

Well the child in question will be about 15 now.This is a thread from 2012!!

[thirdfiddle]

Damn, i was hoping it was OP coming back with a 10 years on update!

[Lynli]

I posted on here. My DS is doing his PHD in mathematics. He’s also been diagnosed with Aspergers.