Are you wondering if your child is “gifted?” Being gifted is not just about high academic achievement, although that may be part of it. Here are 20 characteristics often found in gifted children. Some of them may surprise you!
Right off the bat we need to establish that being “gifted” is not a measure of overall capability or worth. It’s more about the processing language your child may be fluent in. One gifted child may process rapidly using the language they speak (English, French, Spanish etc.).
But another equally gifted child may process information using a mathematical language. What about the child who just somehow knows how to fix mechanical stuff? Or the child who can play and create music easily? All gifted.
What do Stephen Hawkins, Jordan Peterson, Mozart and your mechanic who can always find the problem have in common? They are all fluent in their preferred (and very different) processing languages.
Characteristics of Gifted Children
1. High and Early Verbal Ability
Your child can clearly communicate verbally earlier than others his age. He understands words you don’t expect him to know and uses them correctly.
2. Unusual Alertness
This can present many different ways, but being aware of changes in environment (sounds, smells, people, routines etc) is common. Children are often compared to sponges for their ability to soak up information. Gifted kiddos can take this to the next level!
3. Accelerated Thought Process
Gifted children often seem to connect the dots between things and in ways more rapidly than others. Having really open communication with them to make sure the connections are accurate is important. I remember a child who thought pigs were evil because they killed his grandfather. You see, bacon comes from pigs. He had heard someone talk about bacon causing cancer. Grandpa died of cancer therefore pigs had killed him. See what I mean?
4. Less Need for Sleep
Never a parent favorite, but gifted children often need less sleep and cut out altogether those lovely nap times parents love. Sorry!
5. Long Attention Span
Most little ones have a pretty short attention span. Gifted children are often able to focus on a game or toy for much longer than others and can become quite upset when their concentration is interrupted. Frustration about such things is also common in gifted children.
6. Rapid Learning Ability
A gifted child will learn new things so quickly that it seems like they already somehow knew it. We had a picture of my husband’s very large family on our refrigerator and within 24 hours our 14 month old could point out every family member… even ones she didn’t see often. It can be a little disconcerting, but relax, this is a good thing. You will have to give them lots of meaningful mental stimulation.
7. Very Observant
This seems fairly self explanatory. To be honest, the difficulty with this trait is the time it takes for others to figure out exactly what the child has observed! Especially in pre and early verbal kids because they need you to see it too and explain it to them and are likely to be unhappy until you do!
8. High Activity Levels
Some gifted kids seem to always be in motion. This may be connected to a kinesthetic giftedness or curiosity and exploration of their world.
9. Extreme Curiosity
Again, pretty straight forward. If this is your child you’re going to have to think ahead of their curiosity. Plug covers, cabinet latches and other safety devices are definitely in your future. Remember they don’t have the mental development or experience to know what is dangerous!
10. Excellent Memory
Gifted kids often have an above average ability to recall information, especially information that interests them. I can’t promise this will extend to chores and whose turn it is to pick the bedtime story!
11. Ability to Think Abstractly
This means your child uses and understands abstract things such as similes, metaphor and analogies (he ran like the wind, pretty as a picture, she’s a straight arrow, rain is God watering His garden) or can think about things from another person’s perspective or can predict what might happen based on information outside their own personal experience
12. Mature/Quirky Sense of Humor
Gifted kids often love puns and other word play. As a parent of a gifted little comedian you may need to work with your child to know when and with whom these kinds of jokes are appropriate. I know a child who made a pun using the term “adult-ery” to her parents in front of the preacher. She thought it was hilarious! They were not so amused.
13. Prefers Older Playmates
Gifted children often prefer the company of older children or adults than that of children their own age. So if your child really wants to be around you and your friends (in a non-clingy sort of way) instead of playing with children who aren’t as challenging to him or her this isn’t too surprising.
Don’t worry, learning how to socialize with others is a skill they can learn, but you can be sensitive to their need to be mentally challenged.
14. Loves Puzzles, Mazes, Riddles, Numbers
Gifted kiddos really need to stretch their brains. Puzzles, mazes, riddles, number games and mysteries can help.
15. Advanced Understanding for Their Age
One of the most surprising things about gifted kids to me is their ability to understand some deep complex concepts, have grand leaps of insight and then get upset because you’re having spaghetti for lunch! They are still children.
16. Large Amount of Information in Areas of Interest
Long attention span, excellent memory, rapid learning make it fun for gifted kids to amass huge amounts of information on topics they find fascinating. Emphasis on what they find fascinating. The same child who can talk about ancient Egypt or dinosaurs in great detail may not be able to remember to brush their teeth or take out the trash.
17. Ability to Generate Original Ideas/Solutions
It seems like gifted kids are always looking for a solution. To everything. A favorite family story illustrates what I’m talking about. At eight, The Engineer was told to take out the garbage. Several hours later he had designed an elaborate conveyer belt gizmo for taking out the trash automatically, but of course the actual trash was still in the house! His mother was not amused.
18. Intense Interest in Books and Other Sources of Information
Gifted kiddos need information only slightly less than they need food, air and love. You’re going to have to be the gatekeeper to some degree to make sure they are getting quality information. No, I’m not talking censorship, fake news or anything like that.
Think of it instead as the same way you don’t want the local creep telling your child certain things that would be wildly inappropriate and wrong. Having a home filled with books, open communication, ideas and creativity will gift your child with the information he or she craves.
19. High Degree of Sensitivity
If there is a downside to giftedness it is probably these last two. Giftedness often come with a high degree of sensitivity. This can be a really positive aspect if your child is sensitive to other’s needs and feelings. But… it also means your kiddo may be acutely aware of being different. Frustration with others who don’t “get” things as quickly or don’t enjoy being corrected is common.
Children (and some adults) may be envious of your child’s giftedness and all the perceived benefits that go with it. They may be less than kind about it. You can explain it to your child, of course, and while they may understand it intellectually they are still children. And it hurts them deeply because they can’t change how their brain processes information.
At this point some gifted kids try to hide their giftedness, purposely making mediocre grades (for them), acting out and trying desperately to “fit in”.
20. Perfectionism
Often gifted children suffer another way. Perfectionism. They have been told over and over how smart and capable they are. Eventually nothing short of absolute Perfection with a capital P is acceptable. The stress this puts on a child can be damaging to say the least. Encourage a growth mindset where set backs and downright failures can also be positive learning experiences.
What now?
Understanding giftedness in children is about embracing their unique ways of processing the world. Being gifted is about more than just intelligence; it’s about unique ways of thinking and experiencing the world.
Each gifted child brings with them a distinct set of talents, challenges and perspectives as unique to them as their fingerprints! While their journey through life may bring challenges, it also opens doors to incredible potential. Supporting your child’s individuality, celebrating their curiosity, and teaching resilience will help them thrive in a world that desperately needs their extraordinary talents!
Be watching for future posts on specific ways to help your gifted child!
Looking for more helpful parenting resources?
- Helping Your Kids Manage Anxiety
- Make the End of School Special with a Family Dinner to Remember
- Noticing Your Kids…In a Good Way!
- Handling Sadness, Tragedy and Grief as a Family
- How to Get Your Kids to Open-Up
- 9 Things All Kids Must Hear Their Parents Say
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