However, a cautionary note is in order, don't even think about testing a pre-school child. We are conditioned by schooling to think that nothing is learned if it can't be repeated on a test. We're are also conditioned to think that pre-school children can't learn about something unless they're developmentally ready. True, they may not master it or even be able to talk about it, but the memories created by exposing them to a subject will make it easier for them to grasp it when they are developmentally ready. By developmentally ready what we really mean is developmentally ready to master, not developmentally ready to learn.
Children are veritable learning machines from the day they are born.
Whether a child does or does not become labeled as gifted is not the most important issue. The joy of learning and the feelings of love and acceptance that children gain from living in a learning environment are the true gifts. These are ones every parent has the ability to give. Probably the single greatest downside to being a gifted child is the fact that public schools are often not designed for them. Nor are schools always sympathetic toward gifted students.