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

That same analysis found 70% of the 651 baby foods did not meet the World Health Organization’s nutritional guidelines for protein in infant and toddler foods. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026

The toy maker said worldwide gross billings for dolls, infant, toddler and preschool products were down. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026

Demand was so great that the car soon went into production and approximately 500 units were eventually built between 1926 and 1935, offering many toddlers their very first driving experience. —New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026

That’s a communication disorder that develops when kids don’t have consistent access to a language — whether ASL or English — as babies and toddlers. —Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 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