A Unique Child: Cognitive development - Nature or nurture?

Every pre-schooler is unique in his or her individual character, sense of humour, curiosity, skills and talents. But in every nursery school, there are likely to be a few children who stand out for their ability to learn faster than others.

This is often initially expressed in language development, with precocious children using more sophisticated vocabularies and sentence structures than their peers; advanced number skills are also a good indicator. While these factors often correlate with later academic success, it is important to remember that statistics never tell the whole story, and that children have a tendency to surprise us! Indeed, many pre-schoolers who never take an interest in anything other than toys and mud may go on to become great scientists and politicians, while others who spend their toddlerhood engrossed in books and times tables may turn their energies to unexpected artistic, sporting or outdoor pursuits as they mature. That being said, early academic talent should not be ignored. It is critical to capitalise on children's talents and enthusiasm for learning, by striking a healthy balance between cognitive and social intelligence, curiosity, creativity and fun.