Toddler Weight and Height Chart: Average Growth Ages 1–5

Your baby's first birthday marks a fundamental shift in how their body grows. The rapid weight gain of infancy slows dramatically, appetite becomes erratic, and the round proportions of babyhood give way to the leaner, longer frame of a toddler. If your child seems to be eating barely anything and hasn't gained weight in weeks — welcome to typical toddlerhood.

How Toddler Growth Differs From Infant Growth

In the first 12 months, most babies triple their birth weight. From age 1 to 5, the total weight gain is roughly equal to that amount again — but spread over four years instead of one. That deceleration is completely normal and catches many parents off guard.

A 4-month-old might gain 150–200g per week. An 18-month-old might gain only 150–200g per month. Height growth follows a similar pattern, tapering from around 25 cm in year one to 10–12 cm in year two, then 6–8 cm per year from age 2 onward.

Growth also becomes episodic. Toddlers grow in spurts separated by plateaus where they seem to barely change. This is normal.

Source: WHO Child Growth Standards, 2006

Source: WHO Child Growth Standards, 2006

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Average Toddler Height by Age

Height provides a different picture from weight. Genetics strongly influence how tall a child will grow, so a toddler with shorter parents will naturally plot lower on the height chart — and that's expected. The goal is consistent tracking along their own curve.

Source: WHO Child Growth Standards, 2006. Range reflects 3rd to 97th percentile.

Normal Growth Rate Year by Year

Most healthy toddlers follow this general pattern:

Ages 1–2: Gain approximately 2.5–3 kg (5.5–6.5 lbs) and grow 10–12 cm (4–5 inches). This is the fastest post-infancy year and the last year of rapid gain.

Ages 2–3: Gain approximately 2–2.5 kg (4–5 lbs) and grow 7–9 cm (3–3.5 inches). Appetite often feels minimal — this is normal, not a problem.

Ages 3–5: Gain approximately 2 kg (4 lbs) per year and grow 6–8 cm (2.5–3 inches) per year. Growth becomes remarkably steady in this phase.

The Growth Chart Switch at Age 2

In the US, most pediatricians transition from WHO charts to CDC growth charts around the second birthday. The CDC charts use a different reference population and methodology, which can cause an apparent jump or dip in percentile that doesn't reflect any real change in your child's growth.

If your child's percentile appears to shift around their second birthday, ask your pediatrician whether a chart switch occurred. It's usually not cause for concern.

When Toddler Growth Raises Concern

Most toddlers grow in fits and starts with short plateaus. These patterns warrant a pediatrician conversation:

• No weight gain over 3–4 months between ages 1–2 (some plateau is expected, but a complete stall needs evaluation)
• Crossing two or more major percentile lines downward (e.g., from 50th to below 15th) over two or more visits
• Height tracking consistently further below the curve without catch-up
• Unexplained weight loss — this should always be evaluated promptly
• A toddler who seems low-energy, unwell, or not hitting motor and language milestones

Remember: the number on the scale at any single visit is far less informative than the shape of the curve across all visits. A toddler consistently at the 20th percentile, growing steadily, eating enough to thrive, and reaching their milestones — that is a healthy toddler. For a paired weight-and-length reference in one place, the toddler growth chart with weight and length gives you both dimensions side by side.