Young Bright Children | National Association for Gifted Children

Young Bright Children

Anyone watching a group of children playing will see many differences among them.  Many of the questions NAGC receives from parents are about children ages 8 and under who are performing at more advanced levels than their peers. After the initial excitement of watching a child learn, parents notice the disparities in children and begin to have questions – Is my child advanced?, How do I make sure there is a continued interest in learning?, and What happens when my child enters school?

There are a few stumbling blocks for parents and educators of gifted young children

• Young gifted learners are a heterogeneous group where each child develops skills and abilities at different rates; so while one 4 year old may be able to add and subtract numbers, he may struggle to draw a recognizable house or take turns on the swing.
• Teachers and schools are not trained to recognize advanced ability or be able to differentiate to serve this population of young children.
• There are few opportunities for outside enrichment during the early years, especially in low-income neighborhoods.

How can parents and teachers nurture a child’s interests and strengths?

What can preschool and kindergarten programs do?

Read NAGC’s Early Childhood Position Paper