In fact, highly intelligent children exhibit certain unusual traits from an early age, which parents can observe in their daily lives.
Advanced Motor Development
Research shows that the motor skills of most gifted children mature about 30% earlier than their peers.
For example, sitting independently, climbing stairs, hopping on one foot, and throwing a ball. The average age for typical children to achieve these milestones is around 7 months, 1 year 3 months, and 4 years old.
However, highly intelligent children may demonstrate these skills as early as 6 months, 9 months, 2 years, and 6 years old.
This difference also extends to fine motor skills. Gifted children often display dexterity and precision in activities such as grasping objects, drawing, or using small tools.
They tend to have better hand-eye coordination, making it easier for them to engage in activities such as puzzles, crafts, or games that require concentration.
Advanced motor development.
Late Talkers but Fluent Speakers
Some highly intelligent children tend to be perfectionists and may start speaking later than their peers. While this can be a concern for parents, these children often exhibit impressive language skills when they are ready to speak, with a strong ability to express themselves and use sophisticated vocabulary.
Typical children, when they first start speaking, tend to utter single words, and parents have to guess what they are trying to say. At this stage, they mostly use simple words and their sentences may not be entirely accurate or complete.
In contrast, highly intelligent children often display a strong grasp of language, rapidly advancing in grammar and vocabulary. They are likely to use complex sentences and even speak in paragraphs.
Excellent Memory
Highly intelligent individuals tend to understand and remember information by visualizing it in a structured and segmented way. They often only need to glance at or hear something once or twice to recall it later with ease.
For instance, they might remember the lyrics of a song after hearing it just 2-3 times. If you read a comic book to them, they will quickly remember which scene appears on which page and can retell the story in their own words.
As you repeatedly tell them a story, they will pick up new words and sentences, even if you don’t intentionally teach them. Additionally, they have a deep capacity for information analysis. When listening to a story, they not only absorb the information but also automatically analyze elements such as characters, settings, and plotlines.
To nurture their memory and learning abilities, parents should provide opportunities for these children to be exposed to diverse and enriching information. Regularly reading books, playing intellectual games, or engaging in exploratory activities can help develop their natural memory and thinking skills.
Excellent memory.
Inquisitive Nature
The eyes of highly intelligent children often reflect a keen and curious spirit, or they may appear blank as they are deep in thought.
Their curiosity also differs from that of their peers. They tend to be interested in mundane things and enjoy evaluating everything. However, if they are not satisfied with superficial answers, they will dig deeper to understand the underlying principles.
As a result, they often ask thought-provoking questions such as, “What is the meaning of life?” or “Where do people come from?” They seek not only answers but also a deeper understanding of how things work, ranging from abstract concepts to scientific phenomena.
Parents can encourage their children’s curiosity by creating a rich and diverse learning environment. Reading books, watching educational programs, and participating in exploratory activities will expose them to new ideas and concepts, fostering their inquisitive nature.
Quick Thinking
Highly intelligent children think quickly and process information efficiently. They can easily follow multiple instructions given by their parents.
For example, “Now, go brush your teeth, take a bath, read a book, and go to bed.” Most children might only remember the first instruction, “brush your teeth.” However, a highly intelligent child is likely to remember all the instructions and carry them out in order.
Quick thinking.
Even when faced with multiple tasks, they can quickly prioritize and plan their approach. Each of these traits can be advantageous in a child’s life and learning journey. However, parents should not rely solely on their child’s high IQ but also nurture other essential skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and independent learning to fully develop their potential.