At school we are learning to give assessments to both kids and adults. For adults the tests tend to be of specific areas like hand function or memory, whereas for kids they tend to be batteries that look at motor, verbal, cognitive, social, and other skills.

A brand new one just came out - the 3rd edition of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. (The photo below shows the test kit.) My classmate Sascha and I have been assigned to try it out and review it for the rest of the class. So we thought we'd start by doing it on the twins.

First let me point out that this test has absolutely zero diagnostic value given that I was administering it to my own kids (each in turn), that Sascha and I have never given it before, and that for several of the tests there was a sibling nearby, often chiming in with an answer at the same time.

I found the restults really interesting and useful nonetheless --

Tuck and Emi both tested at the 99.9th percentile for receptive language. She was at the same level for expressive language (i.e. what she can say), with him very close behind.

However, they were both at about the 30th percentile for motor skills (both fine and gross). This is the lowest possible end of normal.

I can only conclude that this means we need to get them out more in spite of the chilly, damp weather -- and that we need to play more jumping, rolling etc. games at home instead of what I do with them most of the time: reading, playing funny games with sounds, and talking about things...

Of course, it could be that their motor skills are just not that good. James remembers being hopeless at sports and things as a little boy. But our Tuesday-Thursday babysitter, who is studying to become a teacher, had said exactly the same thing last week (that the kids needed much more motor stuff to do). Which means that either the test is very good, or she is very good, or both!