Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Toddler Numbers

DD2 was just like that when she learned to count. She was about 17mo, she woke me up in the middle of the night and counted to 5 for me. A few weeks later, she woke me up again to count to 11. Now she knows all the numbers to 20, though usually she gets to 11 and starts back at 7 or 8.

She found a set of number flashcards I'd bought for DS4 from the $1 bin at Target. He wanted nothing to do with them, but she is absolutely enthralled. She brings them to me and says "Mommy, talk to me about the numbers" and then proceeds to sit for 20 minutes while we go through the numbers, counting the dots on each card, looking at the words for each number and trying to name each numeral.

I'd say that if you can find a cheap set of cards, see if she likes them. If she does, fantastic, play on! If not, then just put them away for later. I was really worried about hot housing for awhile. But, I've come to the conclusion that as long as they enjoy it and you completely follow their lead on when to stop, then there's no harm in exposing them to new things and playing new games.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: child-led learning isn't hothousing. It can't be.

So I say keep up the good work, M&M.

My Ds4 loves LOVES flashcards! Everytime we see any he wants them. I don't see a problem with flashcards themselves - it's the way they are used i think is the real issue. If you go through them 'flash carding' a child forcing them to learn/answer - that is an issue. But if they are around and kid asks whats this?/ can you show me this? then thats different. JMO

DS4 started counting cup coasters at 10m. We would go to MILs on a Saturday, he would line them up and point at them in turn, some one must have said 1,2,3 and he repeated. One time he put out 4 and counted on-oo-ee then pointed at the 4th and looked at someone seemingly waiting for an answer.

My DD almost 2, can count 1-13 (misses 12) in English and 1-6 in Spanish. But if you asked her to bring 3 objects to you she can't (or won't?). She also counts in 10s to 40 but thats memorized from hearing her brother say it over and over and over!!

mamaandmore, how cute your DD woke you up to discuss numbers!

I might get flashcards... I'll check them out.

I think it's whatever the child likes to learn with. When DD5 was 18 months she loved to count everything I used flashcards to get her started (around 12 months) but she would count whatever she could get ahold of. One of her favorite things was counting her diapers. We have a big house so I would have them stashed in different spots so I wouldn't have to run around and find some. She would gather them all up and count and arrange them in a half circle, even at this age she could count to 100, when DD4 was born (their 19 months apart) she had little diapers to add to the half circle. She did this with crayons too. DD4 doen't like the flashcards at all she learned to count by me reading counting books over and over, finger and toe counting a chart we have up to 100. So I think every child learns different ways.

we played with counting bears a lot.

He would put on little shows and the counting bears would be the audience... it was hy-lar-e-ious!

but using them he learned about groups and patterns. The audience has assign seating, I would put a blue then a red then a blue and ask him, "Who comes next?" once he got that, we got more complicated.

When he was four we started adding and subtracting. Once he got that we went on to multiplication..... it was fun and he enjoyed it.

He still likes to play with them at seven.

Our DS seemed to spontaneously start counting also. Was in the bath one day at about 16 months and I heard him counting to 10 (we had received foam numbers from a friend). Then realized he knew the whole alphabet and recognized all the numbers and letters independently.
He asked us to write them for him and we wrote up to 99, and he picked up the patterns and numbers seemingly immediately. THe day I wrote down 100 he was so excited he could not sleep. By two we realized he was reading, counting by 10s. I am constantly amazed and enormously humbled in the presence of this sweet child.

I have a DD4 who has alway done things pretty early, and a DS who is now 20m. And a DD8weeks. The DS has followed A more typical pattern for the most part, but this morning we were at a child care thing and he over heard the preschool class counting to twenty. When the lady paused at 18 he finished her counting clearly and said 18, 19, 20.

DD4 is into counting to 100 and finding 100 of things, DS20m counts with her, but we can't understand what he is saying. I sometimes ask him to get diapers for our 8 week old and Ill say can you get me 5 diapers, He will bring me 5, but a few minute latter he will bring 5 more. So I do not know if he understands 1:1 ratio or if it is just copying his sister.

Also last week he was playing with his cousin with magnet letters and we relized he knows all the letter names and alot of the sounds they make. He is not really verbal yet so it is hard to see what he knows, but I have a feeling once he starts talking he is really going to surprise us.

DD4 was conversational by 16 months but she tends to talk for her little DS most of the time so he is pretty quiet. They sure are cute and I am excited to hear what our DS has to say some day.

I think 20M is pretty amazingly early to be 1. going to get anything! 2. counting to 5! 3. bringing the stuff back!
Also, if you are really excited when they do something they will do it again and come back for more praise - so I wouldn't discount the counting just because of that.

Thanks Chris,

Thanks for the comment. I do think my kids are amazing. He probably is really counting. I have not had any testing or anything done so I don't know if they are gifted but they probably are. This site is really helpful. I am still coming to terms with what having gifted children is all about and if I should do anything about it, like testing. Its hard to know whats normal development for the different ages. People alway say every child does things at there own rate, but sometimes it is hard to belive that they understand what they do.