If you’re curious about what the average height for 10 year olds is and want to learn whether specific heights are short or tall for a 10 year old, then this is the article for you.
See Also:
- Average height (male)
- Average girl height in the USA
- How tall are 1 year olds?
- How tall are 2 year olds?
- How tall are 3 year olds?
- How tall are 4 year olds?
- How tall are 5 year olds?
- How tall are 6 year olds?
- How tall are 7 year olds?
- How tall are 8 year olds?
- How tall are 9 year olds?
- How tall are 11 year olds?
What’s the average height for a 10 year old boy in feet?
What’s the average height for a 10 year old boy in feet? According to in-depth measurement research, the average height of a 10 year old boy in feet is around 4 feet 8 inches tall.
Specifically, in a sample of 185 10-year-old boys, the average ten year old male was found to be around 4ft 7.7in tall, which is equal to 141.7 cm.
As evidenced on the chart above, between the ages of 10 and 11, a ten year old boy will typically increase in height by roughly 3 inches.
As research shows, a child’s growth happens in spurts, so some 10 year olds are naturally going to be shorter and taller than others. For example, ten year olds who have only just turned 10 will likely be considerably shorter than those who are almost 11.
What’s the average height for a 10 year old female in feet?
What’s the average height for a 10 year old female in feet? Based on US height data, which measured the heights of 205 ten year old girls, the average height of a 10 year old female in feet is around 4 feet 8 inches tall.
If you read the previous section, then you’ll know that, at age 10, boys and girls are the same height, rounded up to the nearest inch. If we use the unrounded measurements, then 10-year-old girls are, on average, 0.6 inches taller than 10-year-old boys.
One reason for this could be that girls typically begin puberty at an earlier age than boys and thus may have started to experience rapid height development sooner.
Specifically, the average ten year old girl was found to be 4ft 8.3in tall, which works out at 143 cm exactly.
Related: How to grow taller at 10 years old
What height is considered tall for a 10 year old?
What height is considered tall for a 10 year old? Statistically, a height of just over 4 feet 9 inches would mean that a 10 year old boy would likely be taller than around 75% of his peers.
For 10 year old girls, a height of just over 4 feet 10 inches would, statistically, mean that they’d likely be taller than approximately 75% of girls their age.
It’s interesting to see that, at the 75th height percentile, 10 year old females actually had a higher measurement than 10 year old males by a full inch. This again shows that many 10 year old girls have already begun to experience rapid physical development.
The age of 10 is a crucial growing period for children and, as such, boys and girls of this age will typically need somewhere in the vicinity of 2000 calories per day to support their active lifestyle and physical development. [2]
How tall should a 10 year old be in feet?
How tall should a 10 year old be in feet? Based on the average 10 year old height data, typical 10 year old boys and girls should both be around 4 feet 8 inches tall.
Of course, not every ten year old will be this tall. Both genetic factors (mainly) and environmental factors (to a lesser degree) can influence the height of a child at any age.
For example, if a 10 year old is receiving proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, and performing plenty of exercise—as is recommended—then they might well be 4 foot 10 or taller. [3] This is an example of how environmental factors influence height development.
On the contrary, if a 10-year-old has short parents and is one of the younger children in their class, then they might naturally be a bit shorter than their peers. This example shows how genetic factors, as well as age, impacts a child’s height growth trajectory.
Next, we’re going to go through a series of mini case studies to see if a given height is tall, short, or perfectly normal for 10 year old females and males.
Is 4’2 short for a 10 year old?
Is 4’2 short for a 10 year old? Yes, definitely, A height of 4’2 or 4’3 would put a 10 year old below the 5th percentile, meaning that over 95% of their peers would likely be taller than them.
Is 4’4 short for a 10 year old?
Is 4’4 short for a 10 year old? While there are definitely some ten year olds who are 4’4, such a height is still very much on the extra-short side for a 10 year old girl or boy.
Is 4’5 short for a 10 year old?
Is 4’5 short for a 10 year old? Yes, it absolutely is. Considering that 4’5 is a full 3 inches below the 10 year old average height, such a measurement would definitely be considered much shorter than normal for a ten year old boy or girl.
Is 4’6 short for a 10 year old?
Is 4’6 short for a 10 year old? Yes, while not extremely short, a height of 4’6 for a 10 year old boy would put him in the 25th percentile, meaning that he’d only be taller than around 25% of boys his age. It’s a similar story with girls.
Is 4’7 short for a 10 year old?
Is 4’7 short for a 10 year old? While it’s true that 4’7 is an inch smaller than usual for a ten year old, such a height isn’t exactly what you’d call short. For many of the reasons mentioned above, it’s perfectly normal for a 10 year old to be an inch or so shorter than their peers.
Is 4’8 short for a 10 year old?
Is 4’8 short for a 10 year old? No, since 4’8 is the average height for 10 year olds, it’s definitely not a short height for a 10 year old female or male; it’s a very normal height.
Is 4’9 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 4’9 tall for a 10 year old? Yes, seeing as 4’9 is an inch taller than the average height for a 10 year old boy and girl, it can definitely be considered tall for a ten year old male or female.
Is 4’10 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 4’10 tall for a 10 year old? Yes, definitely; if a ten year old is already 4’10, then they’re clearly growing at a faster rate than their peers.
If a 10 year old boy was 4’10 then, statistically, he’d be taller than around 75% of his male peers, according to the available data.
Is 4’11 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 4’11 tall for a 10 year old? Yes, if a 10-year-old has achieved the height of 4’11 then, not only would they be 3 inches taller than the average person their age, but they’d also be as tall as an 11-year-old child.
Is 5 feet tall for a 10 year old?
Is 5 feet tall for a 10 year old? Yes, absolutely, a height of 5 feet is a full 4 inches above the average height for a 10 year old female and male. It’s highly likely that any ten year old who is genuinely 5ft tall has some very impressive height development genetics.
Is 5’1 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 5’1 tall for a 10 year old? Yes, very much so. At the height of 5’1, a ten year old will be towering above almost everyone in their class because they’ll be a massive 5 inches taller than average.
Five inches is a big difference when it comes to adult height, so you can just imagine how much older than their age a 5’1 ten year old will look!
Is 5’2 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 5’2 tall for a 10 year old? Yes, a height of 5’2 is exceptionally tall for a 10 year old boy or girl and would put them well beyond the 95th percentile, which means that they’d be taller than virtually every other 10 year old that they encounter.
Is 5’3 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 5’3 tall for a 10 year old? Yes, definitely; it’s extremely rare for a ten year old to be 5’3, considering that this is a fairly normal height for a fully grown adult woman.
Is 5’4 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 5’4 tall for a 10 year old? A height of 5’4 is incredibly tall for a 10 year old. Indeed, if you believe that your 10 year old child is 5’4, then there might be a chance that you’ve overestimated their height or measured incorrectly.
Of course, it’s also possible that a ten year old could genuinely be 5’4. But this is, as mentioned, an extremely rare occurrence.
Is 5’5 tall for a 10 year old?
Is 5’5 tall for a 10 year old? At a staggering 9 inches above the average 10 year old boy height, a stature measurement of 5’5 is extremely tall for a 10 year old. Most people will never encounter a ten year old who is this tall.
In conclusion: What can the average height for 10 year olds tell you?
Beyond just being an interesting fact, the average height for 10 year olds can also help you to gauge the progress of your child’s physical development.
You can use the percentile data in the above chart to see how much taller or shorter your ten year old is compared to other children their age.
References
- Marshall W. A. (1971). Evaluation of growth rate in height over periods of less than one year. Archives of disease in childhood, 46(248), 414–420. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.46.248.414
- NHS website. (2022a, May 17). How many calories does a child of 7 to 10 need? nhs.uk. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/childrens-health/how-many-calories-does-a-child-of-7-10-need/
- Child Development: Middle Childhood (9-11 years old) | CDC. (2021, September 23). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle2.html