Welcome Mamabird,
I am pretty new here also but this forum is so great at getting information. My DD is almost 3.5. And I could have written many things you wrote.

I am lucky since I live in NYC and there are gifted educational options. In fact, there is a gifted preschool, for which we had DD tested last year but she missed the age cut off by one month and they wouldn't consider her. But the testing then identified her as highly gifted. We did the test again this past January to see if it was an abberation and/or how she was developing. The tester remembered her and her results were even better.

Because sometimes you think you are mistaken. If you are questioning it, chances are your child is really gifted.

Although a lot of people here favor Ruf's book, I think she just wrote the book so upper middle class white people would buy her services. Yes, there is some very good material in her book but it is unscientific, a very small sample size and totally subjective in its findings. AFter reading it, I know my child is at least a level 3. How does that help me. Saying my child is at least a level 3, probably a level 4 gets me no where with the school or what she needs for education. Ruf claims that she could finish the elementary curriculum in one year.

Sorry, I am going off now.

I agree that you try and take your child to many interesting outings. Zoos, museums, read, read, read. And there are a lot of interesting shows. Curious George, Between the Lions, that feeds their curiousity. Library is a great place to explore different topics and see what he is interested in.

I put my child in a playschool last year (totally non academic) and it worked for socialization at 2. She doesn't like to play alone much. This year she is in a really good Montessori with 3-5 year olds and she is doing math there, spelling and reading. She needs the socialization and they are also very active. Usually going out to Central Park every day. They also go on field trips to Carnegie Hall and the fire station and the zoo. They listen to different composers and things like Peter and the Wolf and have it explained. Preschools can be amazing places.

Good luck and remember you don't have to do it all at once.

Ren