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

According to court records, 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee was outside her North Port home with her two sons — a toddler and an infant — in January 2008 when King drove by and spotted her. —ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026

This finding may indicate that PFAS exposure from ages 8 to 12 may have a greater impact than exposure during the toddler years, especially among girls, Buckley said. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026

One recent event, a tea party for toddlers and their parents, filled the room with about 50 people and left dozens more on a waiting list. —Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026

California has introduced universal prekindergarten, and New York City is expanding its prekindergarten program to 2-year-olds, giving toddlers an early start on learning. —Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 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