Kautilya Pandit is a 14-year-old boy who is known as Google Boy because he is an expert in mathematics, astronomy, general knowledge and current events.
Advait Kolarkar is an 8-year-old boy who is one of the youngest painters in the world and has already held multiple art exhibitions in India and abroad.
Pari Sinha is a 12-year-old girl who has been a chess master since the age of 4.
These children are among the few children in the world who have achieved success and fame at an early age. They are known as child prodigies because they are naturally talented or highly intelligent for their age. Some people also use the words ‘gifted’ (outstanding level or competence or aptitude) or ‘precocious’ (exceptionally early in mental development or achievement that is usually expected in adult age)
The signs of being a child prodigy can surface as early as the age of 2 or 3 years. Some parents may find it hard to believe or accept that their child is at an advanced stage of development as compared to other kids of their age. However, a better understanding of their talent or intelligence can help you to create the right environment to nurture them appropriately.
Here are some ways you can tell whether your child is a prodigy:
- Intense Engrossment in Subject of Interest
Prodigy children are extremely inquisitive and tend to dig deeper into the subject they like without any parental encouragement or guidance. They want to explore every bit of it to get in-depth insight and knowledge. They may even become oblivious to their surroundings when they are engrossed in that subject.
- Extraordinary Maturity
Prodigy children are likely to be more mature than they should be at their age. This maturity may match that of an adult. They can see things from a heightened level of perspective and are more self-sufficient and responsible.
- Preference for Company of Adults
Prodigy children have an easy rapport with adults and can engage in intelligent conversations with them. Such children may find the company of their peers boring or unstimulating.
- Fast Milestones
Prodigy children may reach their developmental milestones unusually faster than their peers. They may use advanced vocabulary, learn or read quickly, have sharp motor skills, memorise something exceedingly fast or showcase exceptional artistic skills.
- High Score in Intelligence Tests
There are standardised IQ tests that can test your child’s intelligence level based on verbal, non-verbal, visual-spatial and quantitative abilities, problem-solving and creative thinking skills, abstract reasoning and factual knowledge. Some of these tests are Mensa, Binet-Kamat, Wechsler and Raven’s. A high score on these tests could indicate that your child is a prodigy.
It is important to understand that while prodigy children do exhibit special traits over peers of their age, they may not be perfect and need handholding just like other children do.
