Example by Martina Lange-Blank, Cologne
Jan-Hendrik spoke with 2;1 the sentences: „I know who I am – actually nobody“ or „I know myself exactly, but you don’t know me“.
When he was 2;6 years old when he got a place in a kindergarten with us, he didn’t come with a cuddly toy during his settling-in period, but with his „university book“. The mother was apparently embarrassed, she explained: „He doesn’t like to take a cuddly toy with him“.
The „university book“ was completely empty and also remained empty, but it was very important for him, he always had it with him. If someone said: „There is nothing in it“, then he replied: „But I can still read everything in it“.
Jan-Hendrik was and is a cheerful and balanced child and was always full of energy from the beginning. In the morning he thought about what he would take out of his university book and tell the other children today. Linguistically he was very far away.
See also: Jan-Hendrik Wants to Write an Encyclopaedia of Romans (German version)
Date of publication in German: 2014, January
Example by Petra Cohnen, Herzogenrath
Ergün has a precise idea of what he wants to do, when, with whom and where. He accepts regularities in the daily routine in principle, but often discusses them with the kindergarten teachers if his play ideas could be disturbed by the regularities.
Example: In the first few months that Ergün spent in our kindergarten, the following situation occurred, which is still present to me and which still makes me smile today:
On that day I accompanied the children to lunch and told them that we would go to the Rainbow Group after dinner because our own group was cleaning today. A conversation developed about cleaning: Putting up chairs, rolling up carpets, etc.; some children wanted to help me with this work. Ergün, then 2;3 years old, stresses that he will not go to the neighbouring group, he will continue playing here! Through the following conversation between Ergün and me it turned out that he wanted to finish a building he had begun. My explanation that the building also had to be cleared away didn’t seem to impress him at first. This surprised me again, as I had rather expected his protest.
He was silent for a while and then asked if anyone else besides me would put up the furniture for cleaning. When I denied that, his face brightened and he wanted to know in a friendly way if I didn’t want to end my work now…
That shows a really very early ability for combinatorial and strategic thinking as well as for thinking in relation to time.
All kinds of things! And, of course, it is also very cute.
For further development of Ergün see:
and still 3 further contributions, which are linked at the end of the contribution „Ergün, 3;10 Years“.
Date of publication in German: 2010, April
Example by Hanna Vock
Sheila (2;10) showed very intelligent behaviour. She found a block puzzle on a shelf in the group room. This is a game consisting of 4 x 6 wooden cubes, which are covered with fairy tale pictures on all 6 sides. On each cube only a part of the picture is to be seen.
Depending on how you place the cubes next to each other, you can get many muddle of noodles pictures or a complete fairy tale picture – and there are 6 different ones. Before you can place a square puzzle piece, i.e. one of the cubes, correctly, you have to find out the correct side of the cube, place it upwards and turn the picture into the correct position.
Since all sides of the cube were painted in a similar style and colouring, the playing child had to orientate himself either on the content of the picture or on the very differentiated picture transitions.
For a two-year-old this is a great mental challenge. Sheila tried with great perseverance and on the second day managed to lay the first fairy tale completely.
After one week she had laid all six fairy tales.
The same girl told her mother when she was picked up at the age of 2;5:
„We all jumped down, so jumped, jumped… Karin (the kindergarten teacher) came in and said: „You’re not supposed to do this.“ But we did it after all. Always up to the chair and down, hop, hop. But Eli and Aida sat still.“
Date of publication in German: 2010, April
Copyright © Hanna Vock, see imprint.