Children may remember facts better than others. Gifted children often memorize facts very young, often for their own fulfillment. Your child may memorize a poem they like, or portions of a certain book. Your child may also memorize things like state capitals and state birds. Watch for signs your child has a superior memory throughout the day. You may notice your child easily recalls information from books or TV shows. They may also remember events in excessive detail. For example, you may find, after a family dinner, your child remembers everyone’s name, including people they had only heard spoken about, and can easily remember physical characteristics of individual family members, such as hair color, eye color, and clothing.
Keep in mind, however, reading is only one of many signs of a child being gifted. Some gifted children may struggle with reading early on, as gifted children often work at their own pace. It’s commonly known, for example, that Albert Einstein did not read until he was seven. If your child is not an advanced reader, but shows other signs of being gifted, they may still be gifted.
Keep in mind that, like reading, not all gifted children will be math prodigies. Gifted children have different areas of interest and skill. While math is certainly a common area of interest for gifted children, a child who struggles with math may still be gifted. [4] X Research source
Gifted children will constantly ask questions about their environment. They ask about what they hear, see, touch, smell, and taste. You may be driving in a car, and a song will come on the radio. A gifted child may ask a lot about the song, about what it means, who sang it, when it came out, and so on. Gifted children also ask questions to gain insight and understanding. A gifted child may ask about other people’s emotions, questioning why someone is sad, angry, or happy.
Gifted children will also switch tone between conversations. You may notice your child uses a slightly different vocabulary and speaking style when talking to someone their own age than when talking to an adult.
Gifted children may want to read informative books about a certain subject. If your child is interested in dolphins, for example, they may frequently check out nonfiction books from the school library about the subject. You may notice your child has a deep knowledge of different types of dolphins, the lifespan of dolphins, their behavior, and other facts about the animal. Your child will genuinely enjoy learning about the subject. While many children develop an interest in, say, a certain animal, a gifted child may get giddy over watching nature documentaries and studying about that animal for a school project.
Due to the fluid nature of a gifted child’s thinking, they may struggle in the classroom. Test questions with only one possible answer may frustrate a gifted child. Gifted children tend to see multiple solutions or answers. If a child is gifted, they may do better at essay tests than tests made up of fill in the blank, multiple choice, or true or false questions. [14] X Research source
Gifted children may draw or write as a hobby. They may also imitate others, often for humor, or sing songs they’ve heard elsewhere. Gifted children may tell vivid stories, whether fact or fiction. They may enjoy extracurricular activities like drama, music, and art, as they have a natural need to express themselves artistically.
A gifted child may be sensitive to other people’s emotions. If your child is gifted, they may be able to easily tell if someone is sad or angry, and may want to understand the reason behind an emotion. A gifted child will rarely feel indifferent in a situation, and will almost always be concerned for the wellbeing of those around them. Gifted children will be able to interact with people of all ages. Due to their advanced knowledge, they can talk to adults, teens, and older children with as much ease as they can communicate with those their own age. However, some gifted children have social difficulties. Their intense interests may make it difficult to interact with others, and gifted children are sometimes misdiagnosed as autistic. While positive social interactions are one sign your child is gifted, it is not the only sign. If your child has difficulty socializing, this does not necessarily mean they are not gifted, and some gifted children are also autistic.
When bored, a gifted child may only need a little “push” to start a new activity (e. g. handing them a butterfly net).
Gifted children may frequently point out things they notice, such as the moon in the sky or a painting on a wall.
ADHD: Children with ADHD may, like gifted children, struggle in school. However, they tend to be less detail-oriented and may struggle to follow basic directions. While children with ADHD may talk fast, like gifted children, they will display other signs of hyperactivity like fidgeting and constant movement. [20] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source Autism: Like gifted children, autistic children may have passionate interests and enjoy alone time. However, autistic children will also display other traits, including social confusion, repetitive fidgeting, developmental delays, literal thinking, and under- or over-reactivity to sensory input (such as loud noises or hugs). [21] X Research source
