Is this normal? - Children's Health Message Board

Jo24 · 08-11-2002, 08:40 PM

Hi there - My daughter will be 2 at the end of September. A week ago my parents were visiting and we were all at my brothers house. My dad had my daughter sitting on my brothers pool table and they were rolling the balls back forth. My daughter then picks up one of the balls and says "six". I looked at the ball and sure enough it had the number six on it. She then proceeded to pick up another ball and announce the number printed on it. She read the numbers on all of the balls. On the balls that had numbers like 12 and 13 she would say "one and two" or "one and three". The only one she couldnt get was the number 10 and I think its because she doesnt know what zero is. I was stunned as well as most of my family that was there that my daughter could read numbers. She's also starting to learn the alphabet and loves to sing her ABC's. She loves to sing. She only has to hear a song a couple of times and she has picked up the tune and has started learning the words. She knows all of the words and the tune to twinkle twinkle little star and Barney's I love you, you love me as well as quite a few other songs. My day care has also noticed this and thinks she might be gifted. She also speaks very well. I, probably like most parents, think my daughter is very bright. I dont have much experience around other children so I'm wondering is this normal 2 year old behavior? If it's not is there something special I should be doing with her? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you! Jo

Greenberry · 08-11-2002, 10:03 PM

My daughter is almost exactly the same age as yours--she will be two in October. I taught her the entire alphabet and numbers up to 9 using her set of blocks a couple of months ago. We color together a lot, too, and when she makes scribbles, she points out what she thinks look like letters, or other familar shapes. I have some experience with children in this age range, and I do think that knowing the alphabet and numbers under the age of 2 is somewhat "advanced." Most children I have known did not seem to know these things yet by this age. I don't know anything special to do, except to maybe enroll them in a gifted program or just to keep teaching them yourself. For our daughter, we are now trying to show her how to put letters together to make words, and trying to teach her the sounds that letters make so that she can start to sound out words. She just doesn't get it yet, but one day, I know that it will click. The only thing, my daughter doesn't sing at all (I'm afraid she gets that from me!)

[This message has been edited by Greenberry (edited 08-12-2002).]

canyonspirit72 · 08-20-2002, 12:16 AM

I say don't worry...enjoy