toddler

noun

tod·​dler ˈtä-dᵊl-ər 

ˈtäd-lər

plural toddlers

: a person who toddles

especially : a young child usually between one and three years old

It's no secret that kids need plenty of sleep. For a preschooler (3 to 5 years old), that's as much as 11 to 13 hours, including naps; for a toddler (1 to 3), 12 to 14 hours; for a baby under 1, 14 to 15 hours.

—Stacey Colino

toddlerhood

ˈtä-dᵊl-ər-ˌhu̇d 

ˈtäd-lər-

noun

Examples of toddler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The beaming toddler could be seen crouching over a large pumpkin outside while wearing a navy blue rain jacket, blue jeans that were cuffed at the bottom, and a pair of orange boots. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 Nov. 2026

The 66-year-old actor was born in California and moved to the Lone Star State as a toddler with his mother. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026

Our bright, bubbly and babbling toddler might live, but wouldn’t last. — Jen Murphy Parker, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, New York City is expanding free toddler slots for lower-income families, following Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s announcement to build a universal early childcare system. — Caitlyn Collins, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

toddler

noun

tod·​dler ˈtäd-lər 

-ᵊl-ər

: a young child

toddlerhood

-ˌhu̇d 

noun