When Does Toddlerhood End?

Until they can walk like the rest of us without falling down (toddling).

Wait....I was falling down well into my 30s.

2??? My DS will be 2 in 2 months and there is no way he is not a toddler still.
I would say 3.
3=preschool.

Toddler is ages walking to 3 years old.

Pft. I think of 2s as toddlers. My DD is 3.5 now and I alternately consider her a toddler and a preschooler. I've been thinking of her as a preschooler more in the last few months, as we've settled on a preschool for fall, etc. But at 2 I certainly called her a toddler. I think that the designation depends on how soon your area tends to have children in preschool.

To me it ends sometime before 2 1/2. Three year olds are definitely not toddlers imo, but 2 year olds are imo --though some seem more sophisticated than "toddlery" at that age. My third was like a "little kid" when she was two and played with older kids. Now at 2 1/2 everyone thinks she's three. My other two were very toddler-ish at two though. None of them seemed like toddlers at three.

An infant is 0-12 months. A toddler is 12 months to 24 months. A Preschooler is 2 yrs. old and up until the start kindergarten. This is pretty universal in child care, preschool, most mom sites, etc...

Their stages of physical development are pretty universal. They are a baby, they start gaining independence and "toddle" around, by 2 they are pretty stable physically and the last growth spurt has changed their looks from baby cuteness to a preschool look. You can always tell a 2 yr. old from a toddler, the physical difference in the face, the shape of their body's etc...they just look difference.

Their brain is working differently too. A 2 yr. old goes into a stage of brain development where they suddenly are like sponges that soak up everything. They ask numerous questions and demand instant answers. They start different types of play, instead of parallel play the actually notice someone is next to them and start interacting and playing together. They learn to share, they suddenly start pretend play, can use a fat crayon reasonably well, not in the lines by any means but still, hold it and make some pictures. They want to experience the world and are much more adventurous.

This is a 2 yr. old. A toddler does not do these things at the level. There is a huge growth spurt around 18-24 months, they seem to almost double. Sometimes they'll even skip a couple of sizes. It is a whole new child.

Hi E S-

It ends when they are 18...21...or older in some instances!!

lol

Some may 'leave' toddlerhood chronologically...

BUT ALL (imo) revisit it during teenage years...and, in some cases, beyond!

Then, of course, some 'parents' revisit 'toddlerhood' while you may be in the midst of 'other' ages and stages' with your kiddos.

Fear not my fellow parent...

There will always be a 'toddler' in your midst!!

Sooner or later...

**sigh**

Best Luck!
michele/cat

3 years old, no longer a toddler.

I still consider my 3.5 year old a toddler

thought toddler was till 4 ish? Maybe I am wrong but thats a bit young to be booting the toddler.

Toddlerhood, in my mind, is through age 3. Then pre-schooler for age 4.

Well, I have a different, technical to my profession, perspective.

I do home childcare, and in my state, at age 2...on their birthday, they are a preschooler in home childcare. Many years ago it was 30 mos (2.5 yrs old), but the licensing ratios altered. In centers the numbers are a bit different I think?

This can get confusing for me, as the Referral Coordinator for our small association, when I get emails from parents who say they are looking for care for their toddler. I have to get an exact month-age or birthday from them as many parents think a 3 year old is a toddler. This makes a HUGE HUGE difference for us and our ratios and ability to help them find care.

So for me, I am trained and conditioned, that a toddler is 12-24 mos of age!

Infant is from birth till walking.
I consider toddlerhood from walking through 3.
Pre-schooler is 4-ish.

When they are potty-trained. :)

I think of 1, 2 and 3 as toddler ages. But I guess I also think of 3 to 5 (pre-Kindergarten) as preschool ages. I guess is is all opinion!

aaaaah, now you're in the "Preschool Years"! LOL

& I'm soooo jealous! Catwalk W. took my line! My answer was going to be "when they get married or live independently".

Oh, & my DH visited toddlerhood recently. Even our 15yo son was horrified at his father's bad behavior! Talk about immature......

Well... my STBXH is still a toddler <bats eyes>

I've never hear that "preschooler" negates toddler. In our area, at least, preschoolers ARE toddlers!!!

There are a number of overlapping descriptors. Here are the ones used in our area:

Infant = birth to walking
toddler = walking to kindergarten
preschooler = toddler
school age = K12 and gets broken down to
- kindergartener
- lower elementary
- upper elementary
- middle schooler
- high schooler
Little Kids = lower elementary
Big Kids = upper elementary OR potty trained toddler
Preadolescent = preteen (around age 9-11... aka upper elementary)
Adolescent = preteen (around age 10-12 ... aka middle school)
Teen = 13-Highschool Sr.
Youth = 18 & 19
Young Adult = 13-26 OR 18-26

TODDLER definitions I've heard defined by parents as "when the annoying phase is over" whatever the most "annoying" phase is to them:
- walking w/out falling more than once a month or so / no help on stairs
- potty trained
- tantrums

When I see the phases broken down by age I notice that 2 is a preschooler...and I always thought it was 3...but I guess it makes sense.