Meet the The 4-Year-Old Boy Who Taught Himself to Read

Teddy Hobbs of Portishead, Somerset is a special boy. This is because he rewrote the script of childhood. By the time many children of his age were just reciting the alphabet, Teddy was reading books and counting in multiple languages and soon became the youngest member ever to join Mensa UK.

Early Beginnings: Who Is Teddy Hobbs

Teddy Hobbs was born in Portishead, Somerset, in the United Kingdom. From the beginning, his parents noticed subtle, odd signs. According to his mother, Beth Hobbs, Teddy was never quite like other toddlers. He responded eagerly when exposed to books, numbers, and letters, even before any formal schooling.

Teddy is the first child of his parents. He was conceived via IVF, and his parents — like many new parents — had no early comparisons to guess whether his behavior was within normal bounds or extraordinary. His early love of sounds, letters, and patterns only gradually revealed itself.

During the extended period of lockdown that swept the UK (and much of the world), Teddy’s appetite for learning deepened. Rather than being glued to cartoons, he insisted on watching educational shows. He scrolled through books, traced letters, and repeated words and sounds aloud. His mother described it as “just him doing his own thing.”

What could have been dismissed as a childhood phase turned out to be the seeds of something much larger. By around two years and a few months (about 26 months), Teddy had begun showing consistent ability to recognise letters and words — and to read.

Self-Learning in Action: How Teddy Taught Himself to Read

Teddy’s path to early literacy didn’t follow conventional steps. There were no formal tutors, no structured lessons, no preschool curriculum. Instead, his reading skills emerged from a mixture of environment, exposure, and self-driven curiosity.

Television, Tablet, and Curiosity

According to his mother, much of Teddy’s early learning came from watching children’s educational programmes on television during the lockdown. The repetition of letter sounds, simple words, and reading-themed shows seemed to resonate with him. At times, he would trace letters and copy sounds in the air or on paper.

His parents initially assumed his sounds and word attempts were just play. But over time, they grew suspicious. When they returned him to nursery, they asked a preschool teacher to evaluate him. The result: the teacher confirmed that the toddler could indeed read. That confirmation turned heads.

From Letters to Words — and Beyond

Once he mastered letter recognition, Teddy’s hunger seemed to accelerate. He didn’t stop at simple words or labels. His mother recounted how Teddy — still not yet three — could count to 100 in multiple languages. He had no formal language classes. Rather, he mimicked what he heard from educational apps and sounds he overheard.

By age three and a half (about 3 years 7 months), he underwent a formal IQ test administered by an approved evaluator for Mensa. On the test, he scored 139 out of 160, placing him in the 99.5th percentile for his age.

Beyond raw IQ, further evaluation suggested that, in terms of letter and word recognition, his ability resembled that of a typical eight-year-old.

At age four, Teddy reportedly could read full-length books, sometimes even chapters of substantial works. According to his mother in a media interview: when given a choice of a treat, he would choose a book over chocolate.

Achievements: Counting, Languages, and Mensa Membership

Teddy’s early reading was only the beginning. As his vocabulary and confidence grew, so did the breadth of his interests.

Before reaching his second birthday, Teddy already counted to 100 in English. Over time, he extended that skill to multiple languages. Reports vary, but he is said to have counted to 100 in as many as six to seven languages, including Mandarin, Welsh, French, Spanish, and German.

According to one account, late one evening, as his mother heard strange sounds from his tablet, she asked what he was doing. He replied matter-of-factly: “Mummy, I’m counting in Mandarin.”

His facility with languages and counting points not merely to memorization, but to a capacity for absorbing patterns and sounds quickly — a hallmark of giftedness.

Youngest Member of Mensa UK

Perhaps the milestone that brought him worldwide headlines: at just four years old, he became the youngest person ever admitted to Mensa in the UK. His IQ test result and his demonstrated reading and language skills earned him a seat in the organisation that accepts only individuals scoring in the top 2 percent of the population on approved tests.

Mensa officials reportedly reviewed his case carefully. His mother says that she was told the letter and word recognition level seemed far above his chronological age — an “eight-year-old” level even though he was not yet four.

In interviews following the admission, his mother stressed he still remains “just a boy.” He plays with Play-Doh, laughs at toddler jokes, enjoys simple pleasures. But when it comes to learning, he asks for books, not sweets.

What He’s Doing Now — And What the Future Looks Like

As of early 2023, the world knows Teddy Hobbs as a celebrated child prodigy. But for his parents, the priority remains his emotional and social development, rather than pushing him too hard too soon. In media interviews, they emphasize balance, normalcy, and a childhood that — although accelerated — remains grounded.

At four, Teddy reportedly enjoys books, counting, times tables — though he also likes dinosaurs, Play-Doh, and playing with his toys like any child. His mother says that sometimes he finds the fact that peers struggle with reading to be confusing, but they are trying to manage expectations and self-awareness sensitively.

There is a natural concern among his parents about pressure, comparison, and the possibility of a “superiority complex.” For now, they say, Teddy doesn’t view himself as “special.” He plays with his younger sister, laughs when toddlers laugh, and seems uninterested in fame.