EVERY parent secretly hopes their beloved son or daughter will become super-rich and world famous.

Now psychologists have revealed the trait which is an early sign that suggests a baby is set to become a genius.

A team of American researchers have found that infants who show sharp "spatial reasoning" skills go on to perform extremely well in mathematics by they time they're four, laying the groundwork for life as a scientist, engineer or big bucks banker.

2 Your baby could be a genius in the making Credit: Getty Images

2 Playing with blocks can boost your child's spatial reasoning Credit: Getty Images

“We’ve provided the earliest documented evidence for a relationship between spatial reasoning and math ability,” says Emory University psychological scientist Stella Lourenco, whose lab conducted the research.

“We’ve shown that spatial reasoning beginning early in life, as young as six months of age, predicts both the continuity of this ability and mathematical development.”

Spatial reasoning relates to a person's ability to transform and rotate objects in “mental space", which involves imagining how shapes can be moved or manipulated.

If your child has an aptitude for building with blocks or solving puzzles they are likely to have high levels of spatial reasoning.

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A previous study urged parents to give kids these two types of toys if they want to boost their development of this important skill, which is vital to anyone wishing to go on to careers in technology and science.

“Our work may contribute to our understanding of the nature of mathematics,” Lourenco added.

“By showing that spatial reasoning is related to individual differences in math ability, we’ve added to a growing literature suggesting a potential contribution for spatial reasoning in mathematics."