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

Onset man Donald Humes pleaded guilty to charges in the death of his son Cameron after methadone was detected in the toddler’s system. —Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026

It'll be be available in sizes from newborn through 5T, meaning even older toddlers will be able to spot the strawberries, avocados and bananas printed across their pajamas and everyday essentials. —Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026

Shortly after, the toddler stopped crying and was quiet the rest of the night. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Jan. 2026

With two working parents, an…explorative…toddler, and a vocal hound dog, our house is nothing short of chaos on weeknights. —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 20 Jan. 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