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

In toddlers and young children, drowning is the most common cause of death, surpassing birth defects. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

The toddler plummeted from the rear window of the building on Oak Terrace near Beekman Ave. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026

The president’s proposed 2027 budget would cut the WIC benefit that helps low-income mothers and toddlers buy fruits and vegetables from $52 to $13 a month for breastfeeding mothers, and from $26 to $10 dollars for young children. — Sunny Patel, STAT, 17 July 2026

Members of the community rushed to support the toddler’s family after his death, Atlanta News First reported at the time. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 16 July 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