Frequently asked questions about giftedness in early childhood

Young children can do amazing things! Anyone who accompanies their educational development as an early childhood educator knows this. Yet all too often we tend to view the period between the ages of zero and six as primarily a time of childcare rather than a time of education. Even at an early age, children are able to display not only the richness of their abilities but also what they are capable of becoming. This clearly highlights the responsibilities of early childhood education centers (Kitas) in recognizing these characteristics and providing meaningful and well-planned guidance for the child’s personality development. Intellectual development is one characteristic of a child’s personality. Fostering this is also a part of the Kita’s mission. We believe that this is true for all children, and especially for gifted children. Kitas must be able to meet the needs of these children as well. The FAQs are intended to help you understand early giftedness. Your fundamental questions such as “giftedness, high ability – what does this mean?” will be answered first. After this, we explain how you can identify young children between the ages of three and six years with high abilities. In the next section we address specific questions on where to find support, for example, through specialized guidance and counseling services. We conclude with information on how you can successfully promote giftedness and the gifted child in the Kita setting.