Is it normal for a 23-month-old to count to 20, know colours and want to spend the evening on the computer??

Amanda - posted on 11/14/2010

Get him the leap frog my first computer the click start. it looks like a computer key board and mouse. and my daughter loves it. Also my daughter is a little bight start too. she has been singing the abc;s for months now and counting to ten since before she was 2. keeping him interested in learning its going to benefit us later. I think that you will find that the click start is a wonderful learning tool. good luck and congrats for having such a smart baby

Safiya - posted on 11/12/2010

My daughter sounds exactly like your son. She just turned 2 in September and she counts to 20, sings her ABCs and does her phonics. She also walked at 10 months. I just try my best to encourage her everyday and show her new things so that she keeps learning.

Angel - posted on 11/05/2010

Just depends on what he's learning through out the day. My son counts to 10 cause we count the stairs everytime we leave the house. and he knows blue, red, and yellow cause they are through out his room. If you spend quite abit of time on the computer I am sure he found interest in it. MIne loves the computer too but he can't type anything by any means. He just mashes the key board. Hell get board of it soon enough. If not get him one of those leap frogs. There handy.

Marija - posted on 11/04/2010

23 months and on a computer? all my son does is smashes down on the keys, I wouldn't let him sit in front of it though. I could do the alphabet when I was 2 years old, just keep going with it and maybe you will have a scholar on your hands. You might be able to retire early =D

Reshma - posted on 10/30/2010

My dd started counting to 20 when she was 23 months..and say her ABCs...nothing is abnormal when it comes to children...

Silvia - posted on 10/18/2010

My son did that before he turned two as well. He just turned two and knows his colors, shapes, ABC's (and their phonics), as well as animal sounds. I don't really think of him as "gifted" although I don't doubt his intelligence. He does, however, have some issues with paying attention and hyperactivity. He seems to only pay attention to the things that interest him and gets bored very easily. ADHD runs in the family and I do have some concerns about him not paying attention to things in school, especially if he already knows them. I don't really know what to say about the whole thing. I was concerned about my own son not speaking at 18 months and then he learned all these things in a short period of time so I think he learns quickly and well. As far as gifted, I am not sure that knowing those things shows "giftedness" as much as it shows an ability to learn things quickly.

Jael - posted on 10/10/2010

Smarts is a good thing, but I think you should have your child participate in other things and not get him his own computer at such a young age. They do have toy laptops for toddlers that play music and have educational games on them. Congrats on such a smart tot! Mine at 27 months now is counting to ten and learning sign language. It's always a great thing to teach children that learning can be fun!

Leanne - posted on 10/01/2010

My son can count to 19, knows shapes and colours and 18 letters from the alphabet by sight. Just let him follow his interests, not all kids can do it but if your son loves it then let him go for it!

Melissa - posted on 09/27/2010

My daughter is 5 now but she knew all of her colors, shapes, counting to 20 and the whole alphabet by 2. She was an early talker as well and could read by the time she turned 5. I also found that she gravitated towards children older than herself and still does excpet at school where they are the same age. She has been bored in kindergarten since she has known all of this for so long. She also learned to use a mouse and how to navigate websites like Playhouse Disney and PBS kids at age 3.

On the other hand, my just 2 year old son can count to 10, doesn't know his alphabet, knows only a few colors and not all that well but does know a lot of animal sounds and their names. He spoke later than my daughter though. So we will see how he does!

Sounds like you have a smart kid!

Susan - posted on 09/08/2010

Don't know if it's normal or not but my DD does it. She sounds a lot like your son. She started talking very early and was an early crawler and walker as well. There's not a word she can't say, she counts to 20, knows her ABC's, colors, all animals and sounds and so on and so fourth. IMO I think we have a couple of very exceptional children!! When she plays with other kids her age though it is painfully obvious that she is further ahead than her playmates so she tends to gravitate towards older children.

Trashieca - posted on 09/04/2010

my daughter like the learning sites n yes its normal 4 them 2 b counting that means they understand things don't discourage it heck he/or she will be doing ya taxes soon!

Diana - posted on 09/03/2010

There is a brilliant mind or two on my son's father's side, but they appear to be troubled as well as brilliant so I want to make sure my son's happiness is the priority.



I don't think there is much difference in the abilities you've both described and my son's abilities (counting to 20 is just counting to 10 a second time, and similarly 5 to 10), so I find that reassuring.



I will continue to ponder a computer of his own. I will say that in every way, my parenting has been referred to as 'crunchy', and a toy computer would be a real contrast to that.



If anything I am more inclined to get a real computer as the programs he wants are: a text editor for typing and software to view photos and videos. (He mastered the use of the iPod touch to connect to youtube and watch family videos, which we keep there privately.) He also really enjoys scrolling through the photos that we take. He is much less interested in games, at least at the moment.



Also, I think his wish to spend entire evenings at the computer is waning. He often needs to really immerse himself in something new for a while until he gets his fill of it. I failed to recognise that pattern initially with the computer, perhaps I was overly alarmed simply because it was a computer! :)

Chessa - posted on 09/02/2010

My son knows numbers to 10, and most of the letters. He can recognize a few words by sight- mama, Xiao (his name), dad, kitty... We don't let him play on the computer though. They make laptop toys for kids that have games with and stuff. Leapfrog and Vtech makes some. So it looks like a computer, but it's more a learning game. Xiao's getting one for his birthday... maybe you should look into one of those for your son? Since he's a bit ahead, I'd look for one that the suggested age is a bit older, like for a three or four year old. That way he's still learning, but not being glued to an actual computer.

Tercia - posted on 09/02/2010

I'd be cautious of labelling anything abnormal, but my 23 month old definitely doesn't do any of that! My little one counts to 5, can discern colours if compared to a picture (but no colour names yet) and although the PC fascinates her, I don't let her play on the keyboard often. Seems like you have a little genius on your hands. You'll definitely have to keep him stimulated, but i'm not sure a PC is the answer. Perhaps there's a program for gifted children in your area - maybe he should get tested.