The task of the preschool teacher is to recognize the learning potential of children. Through her way of working and the wide choice of activities, the preschool teacher must enable the development of children in all areas. In this thesis, we focused on the field of natural science and researched the criteria according to which the three and four years old children make pairs out of the offered natural objects. We found out that children initially formed pairs when they were engaged in an activity, which was usually an everyday type of activity they were familiar with. Gradually the criteria for the formation of pairs changed and at the same time the number of objects with similar content or similar characteristics, increased. Among the pairs, there were some that were formed according to the natural science criteria. We analysed these pairs and checked how frequently they occurred with the individual children. Later on we found out that children, who formed more pairs according to the natural science criteria, differ from other children in their choice of activities and their interest in playing outside. In the kindergarten these children often chose the natural science type of activities and they were also more successful at these activities than others. Through the conversations with parents we checked the link between the number of pairs formed according to the natural science criteria by children and their interest in the natural science type of activities and the possibilities of the direct contact with the nature in their home environment. We found out that the most of the pairs formed according to the natural science criteria were formed by children, who get more encouragement for the natural science type of activities at home. Through this type of research, which includes the home environment, we presented the approach for the recognition of learning potential of children in the field of natural science. This was how we found out that some of the three and four-year-olds in the group could be potentially talented in the field of natural science.
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