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 the police department, the toddler used an old cellphone that can still be used to call 911 in an emergency but has no other functional use. —Landon Mion, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2025

Beginning then, the center will offer only two preschool classes and will no longer have classes for infants, toddlers or Pre-K ages. —Michael Slaten, Orange County Register, 28 Feb. 2025

Medics raced the toddler to Saint John’s Episcopal Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. —Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025

Jason posted a video of Lauren holding the toddler in her arms on his Instagram feed and Story. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025

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