Many times, parents miss the signs that their child has a particular talent. Some children have obvious clues, such as a love of music and art. If your child is one of the many that doesn’t, here are a few clues as to just what their hidden talent may be.
If your child loves to sort objects, then it could be an early sign that he or she is likely to be talented at maths and science. That’s because this kind of behaviour hints at what experts call ‘auditory sequential learning.’ That means that your child is probably logical and analytical – both traits required for those talented in maths and science! Let your child sort objects around the house, and offer him or her projects that relate to sorting and matching, like beading.
If your child is a born fiddler, and can’t seem to keep his or her hands off anything, it might drive you crazy, but it can be a sign that your child is destined to be an architect, an engineer, or an inventor. That’s because all that fiddling is probably because your child is a visual spatial learner. He or she is fascinated by how things work, and will probably love to build with blocks, or toys with plenty of moving parts. They’re also the ones most likely to try and use your electric carving knife, or stick their finger in a socket to see how it works, so watch your child carefully!
If your child is a little chatter box, then you may be wondering exactly what their hidden talent could be. In fact, verbal skills, especially children who talk a lot, and very fast, are one of the first signs that your child may be gifted – and children who talk a lot tend to be the ones that excel in school later on. Encourage those verbal skills by reading together, or just talking to, and listening to, your child.
A child who likes to daydream, on the other hand, is probably dreaming up all kinds of impossible fantasies – a sure sign of a creative nature, and another early sign of a gifted child. Encourage your child’s creativity, by taking him or her to museums, concerts and other creative events and locations.
There are plenty of other signs of hidden talents, such as children who love puzzles (likely to be an early sign of a visual spatial thinker) or one who loves to be on the go all the time (a sign of a physical learner, who would probably do well as a chef or even a park ranger.)
Whatever your child seems drawn to, encourage it – you never know – it may just be related to his or her special talent, and may be something that he or she loves for the rest of his or her life!
