My nephew recently turned 7 and my sister-in-law has had some questions. I’ve been doing some research for her, and especially what age category my nephew falls into. Here’s what I found.
So, are 7 year-olds considered toddlers? A 7 year-old is not considered to be a toddler. A toddler is a child between 1 year old to 3 years of age. 7year-old children are considered to be in “middle childhood.” They are too young to be called tweens.
7 year-olds are more capable of developing motor skills and their own opinions. 7 is a great age because they are less dependent on adults and they can apply the knowledge they gain.
Why 7 Year-Olds are Not Toddlers
It can be confusing on what “category” your child is under now that he or she has turned 7, but it is clear that they are not toddlers. The word “toddlers”
Most 7 year-olds have been walking steadily and running for a few years. They have developed motor skills so they could possibly catch, kick, play piano and a vast variety of other things.
A toddler is a child between 12 months old through 36 months old. During these months, a toddler learns how to walk, get baby teeth in, starts to talk, and starts potty training.
A 7 year-old is reading, attending school, reasoning for themselves, etc.
For these reasons, a child of 7 years of age is not put into the same category as a toddler. The things they are developing in terms of motor skills, socialization, and their rate of growth is vastly different than a toddler’s.
My niece is almost 3 years old while my nephew is 7. They are talking at different rates. My nephew is attending school. My niece cries when she does not get her way while my nephew is a little more clever.
My niece can count to 20 while my nephew is adding and subtracting. This is just an example of why these two are not grouped into the same age category.
7 year-olds do not have a distinct category that they do fit into. Some say they are in “middle childhood” while some call them primary age or elementary aged. They are called grade schoolers, too. T
hese may not be as clever or catchy of names as “toddler”, but they more accurately describe the habits and life of a child of 7.
What a 7 Year-Old Can Do?
At 7 years old, a child will be doing a lot of different things and learning new habits, that are especially different from a toddler. This includes going to school, learning how to multitask.
These attributes are much different than toddlers. If the age guideline is not clear enough, hopefully these descriptions help clear up the confusion.
Mentally
At this age, 7 year-olds are attending the second grade. In second grade they are learning addition and subtraction and should be reading chapter books.
In school, they will be more willing to ask questions and help other students as they start to understand topics. Usually, easy fractions are introduced as well at this age. They are starting to solve word problems at this age as well.
Along with this learning at school, 7 year-olds are curious. They are starting to understand the basics and are hungry for more knowledge. They will ask questions frequently.
At 7 years of age, a child will have developed a fluent way of speaking. They will use whole sentences. As they read, they will pick up words as well. Reading is very important at this age to help expand vocabulary.
Read. Read. Read. A child at 7 will start reading more quickly and fluently. They will still stutter at big words but they can get through whole chapter books while understanding what is going on.
Physically
Their brains are growing and developing. Their bodies are also adapting and learning new skills. As a toddler, most can’t run and kick a ball. At 7, a child can.
Multitasking is something that is happening at the age of 7. Dancing to the music, running and jumping and other combinations are more doable at this point. This is because the brain is more aware of the body.
Play pretend is more adventurous at this time. A lot of toddlers just pick up things or habits from their parents. With more social interaction and more development, a child expands his or her horizons. They can be more creative without outside help.
At 7 years of age, boys and girl will be around the same height. This height is between 46 inches to 49 inches. They will weigh anywhere from 45 lbs to 57 lbs on average. For more information, click here (this link includes heights and weights for all children from 1 month old to 8 years of age.)
A 7 year-old will be able to clean themselves up and be more aware of body needs. Some kids will be able to make themselves a quick snack, like grabbing some carrots or an apple.
At this age, kids will be aware of when their body needs to go to the bathroom. 7 year-olds will be able to brush their teeth and even floss. They usually have the mentality of “I’m a big kid” and can handle tasks by themselves.
Independence is something that will start developing in a child at this age. They can not do everything else and still need a lot of help from adults but they can reason, adapt, and think more for themselves at this age.
Emotionally
Kids often get frustrated when they are not able to describe how they feel. At 7 years old, a child is better equipped to express themselves. They can use their wider vocabulary to talk about their feelings. They are usually still open enough to sit down and talk about it.
With school comes new friends and the desire to be liked. At 7 a child is more focused on how other people see them than at any age before this. They care about how people think or talk about them. This can be good but it can also make a child self-conscience or lower self-esteem. At this age, as a parent or concerned adult, it is best to talk about the positives.
7 year-olds can be sassy, a little selfish and can have a bad attitude. This all comes with understanding the world that they are in. A
They are a little more okay with switching it up and planning activities on their own than younger children at this age.
Do you have a 7-year-old at home? Are you worried about whether your child is developing like the typical 7-year-old I described? Here is a checklist of development that provides advice and answers. It is really helpful, especially to parents who have questions.
Breakdown of Age Categories
If the age category thing is still confusing for you, I put together a list. Here is a complete guide to help you out:
| AGE | TITLE |
| 1 – 5 months | Infants |
| 6 – 12 months | Babies |
| 12 – 36 months | Toddlers |
| 3 – 5 years | Preschoolers |
| 6 – 9 | Child or Gradschoolers |
| 10 -12 | Preteens |
| 13 – 17 | Teenagers |
| 18 – 21 | Young Adult |
| 22 – 39 | Adult |
| 40 – 55 | Middle Aged |
| 56 – 65 | Retiree |
| 66+ | Senior Citizen |
There is a little wiggle room between the adult category. Not everyone develops the same ways at the same times but this falls as a general rule.
Hopefully if you had some questions about what age group comes after toddler, you have a better idea now.
Related Questions
What age is a child no longer considered a toddler? After 3, a child is not considered a toddler anymore. A toddler is a child between 12 months old to 36 months old.
What grade is a 7-year-old in? A child who is 7 is in the second grade. In second grade they are developing reading skills, math skill and are becoming increasingly more curious and interested in the world around them.
What is a child called after a toddler? Most people just call someone after a toddler a child. There are different names that are used to describe this age. Possibilities include pre-schooler, elementary or primary aged children. There is no set name like there are for younger children.
