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How tall is the average 1st grader, and how much do they weigh?

How tall is the average 1st grader, and how much do they weigh?

How tall is a first grader on average? And similarly, how much does a first grader weigh on average?

This guide answers both of those crucial questions using height and weight measurement data of actual first graders living in the US.

See the Heights and Weights for Each Grade:

How tall is the average 1st grader?

A boy showing that he is taller than the average height for a 1st grader

How tall is the average 1st grader? The average height of a 1st grader is almost 3 feet 11 inches. This value, rounded to the nearest whole inch, is for both boys and girls.

Specifically, the precise average height of a first grader is 3ft 10.7in or 118.8 centimeters.

Between the first grade and second grade, boys will get around 3 inches taller, whereas girls will gain around 2 inches of additional height.

While 1st grade boys tend to be marginally taller than 1st grade girls, it’s not just a child’s gender that affects their height.

For example, if a child has a late birthday, then they might be quite a bit shorter than their peers, who may have been growing for many more months.

Similarly, if a child has fairly short parents, then they might be a bit smaller than the average first grader. The opposite of this is also true; first graders with tall parents are likely to be taller than average.

How much does a first grader weigh on average?

A person checking the average weight of a 1st grader

How much does a first grader weigh? The average weight of a first grader is 52.6 pounds for boys and 52.3 pounds for girls.

Both 1st grade girls and boys will gain around 8 lbs of extra body weight between first and second grade.

A child who is growing at a slower rate may gain less weight than this, whereas a tall child who’s developing faster may gain more body mass than the average first grader.

What age is first grade in America?

What age is first grade in America? In the US, a 1st grader is between 6 and 7 years old, depending on their birthday.

First grade corresponds to year 2 in England and Wales in the UK.

How much physical activity does a first grader need to be healthy?

Happy children swimming

A first grader needs at least 60 minutes of exercise every day in order to be healthy. 

This can take the form of playing outside with their classmates, or it can come from after-school sports and activities, among other things.

Getting plenty of physical activity will improve a child’s muscle strength and cognitive abilities as well as their cardiovascular fitness.

Building good exercise habits now will also encourage a child to remain active as they get older, which is important considering that most teens and adults these days lead very sedentary lives.

In conclusion

Children grow at different rates based on the size of their parents, their diet, activity level, and gender. 

These differences granted, it’s still useful to know the average height of a 1st grader and the average weight of a 1st grader so that you can see how your child is developing.

References

  1. The Guide to 1st Grade: Reading and Writing. (2020, August 13). Scholastic. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/school-success-guides/guide-to-1st-grade.html
  2. Reisberg, K., Riso, E. M., & Jürimäe, J. (2021). Physical Activity, Fitness, and Cognitive Performance of Estonian First-Grade Schoolchildren According Their MVPA Level in Kindergarten: A Longitudinal Study. International journal of environmental research and public health18(14), 7576. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147576