Most, but not all, of the following questions apply equally well to children of various ages. No one child will exhibit all of these. They are intended to serve as a checklist of the abilities revealed by many gifted children.
- Did your child walk and talk earlier than most other children of his age and gender?
- Did she show a comparatively early interest in words?
- Does he have an exceptionally large vocabulary for his age?
- Did she show an early interest in clocks, calendars, jigsaw puzzles?
- Did he show an early interest in numbers?
- Did she show an early interest in reading?
- Does he express curiosity about many things?
- Does she have more stamina and strength than other children of her age and gender?
- Does he tend to associate with children older than himself?
- Does she act as a leader among children of her own age?
- Does he have a good memory?
- Does she show unusual reasoning power?
- Does he have an unusual capacity for planning and organizing?
- Does she relate information gained in the past to new knowledge she acquires?
- Does he show more interest in creative effort and new activities than in routine and repetitive tasks?
- Does she try to excel in almost everything she does?
- Does he concentrate on a single activity for a prolonged period of time without getting bored?
- Does she usually have a number of interests that keep her busy?
- Does he persist in his efforts in the face of unexpected difficulties?
- Does she figure out her own solutions to problems and show uncommon “common sense”?
- Does he have a sense of humor that is advanced for his age?
- Does she show sensitivity to the feelings of others?
- Does he show a comparatively early interest in questions of right and wrong, religion, God, and/or justice?
- Does she make collections that are more advanced or unusual than those of others in her age group?
- Does he show an intense interest in some artistic activity, such as drawing, singing, dancing, writing, or playing a musical instrument?
- Does she make up stories that are vivid and dramatic, or relate her experiences with a great deal of exact detail?
- Does he like puzzles and various kinds of “problem” games?
- Does she have exceptional abilities in mathematics?
- Does he show an unusual interest in science or mathematics?
- Does she show awareness of things that are new or novel?