Average Weight & Height for a 5-Year-Old

Growth at 5 Years

Five-year-olds are at the end of the preschool growth phase, with steady gains before the next major shift in puberty. The average 5-year-old boy weighs about 18.5 kg (40.8 lb) and stands 109.2 cm (43 in) tall. Girls average about 18 kg (39.7 lb) and 107.9 cm (42.5 in).

Kindergarten Readiness

Parents often compare their child's size to classmates at kindergarten entry, but children enter school over a range of several inches and several pounds. There is no ideal "kindergarten size" — a shorter or lighter child is just as ready for school as a larger one. What matters is that they're growing consistently along their own curve.

Growth Rate and Variability

At age 5, children are growing about 5–6 cm (2–2.5 in) per year and gaining about 2 kg (4.4 lb) per year. Some children may hit mini growth spurts where they seem to grow overnight. These are normal fluctuations within the overall trend. Use our growth tracker to visualize growth over time.

Looking Ahead to the Growth Spurt

The next major growth acceleration is the pubertal growth spurt, which typically begins at age 8–13 in girls and 10–14 in boys. Until then, children continue at a steady pace of about 5–7 cm per year. Learn about upcoming growth patterns with our growth spurt timeline.