This article will tell you the average 3 year old height and the average 3 year old weight—as well as the percentiles for each—so that you can assess the physical development of your three year old son or daughter.
Related Weight/Height Guides:
- Average height for a boy
- Average height for a girl
- Average height for a 10 year old boy
- Average weight for a 9 year old girl
- Average weight for a 8 year old girl
- Average weight for a 7 year old girl
- Average weight for a 6 year old girl
- Average weight for a 5 year old girl
- Average weight for a 4 year old girl
- Average weight for a 2 year old girl
- Average weight for a 1 year old girl
What is the average height for a 3 year old boy in feet?
What is the average height for a 3 year old boy in feet? According to anthropometric research from a National Center for Health Statistics report, the average height of a 3 year old boy in feet is 3 feet 3 inches tall, which works out at 99.1 cm.
Children naturally grow at different rates—some faster, some slower—due to genetic factors (mainly) and environmental influences. Unless your child is not growing as expected, then there shouldn’t be any cause for concern.
Between the ages of 3 and 4, the average boy will gain around 2.5 inches of height as he continues to grow and develop. [1]
During this period of growth, it’s very important that your child gets plenty of sleep and consumes a diet that contains all of the vital nutrients that are needed to aid their physical development.
3 year old height chart (boys)
This useful 3 year old boy height chart shows you the height percentiles for 3-year-old boys living in the USA. With it, you’ll be able to see how tall or short your three year old is in comparison with a boy of the same age.
So, as an example, if a 3-year-old boy’s height places him in the 50th percentile, then—based on this sample set, at least—he’d be taller than 50% of his male peers.
What is the average height for a 3 year old girl in feet?
What is the average height for a 3 year old girl in feet? Based on a Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which measured the heights of 154 3 year old females, the average height of a 3 year old girl in feet is 3 feet 2 inches tall.
Specifically, the average 3 year old height for girls was found to be 3 feet 2.3 inches, which is equal to 97.5 cm.
As with boys of the same age, 3-year-old girls will grow an average of 2.5 inches to 3 inches between the ages of 3 and 4.
During this time, three year old girls and boys will need between 1,000 and 1,400 calories per day to support their naturally active lives. [2]
3 years old height chart (girls)
This 3 year old girl height chart shows the height percentiles for three year old American girls.
So, if a 3-year-old girl’s height puts her in the 75th percentile, then she’d be taller than approximately 75% of her peers.
How much should a 3 year old boy weigh?
How much should a 3 year old boy weigh? According to the research, the average weight for a 3 year old boy is 36.5 pounds, which works out at 16.56 kilograms and 2.6 stones.
The average BMI for a 3 year old boy is 16.8. This body mass index is classed as healthy because it’s in the normal range.
Between the ages of 3 and 4, boys will usually gain 4-5 pounds of additional body weight. At this rate of development, a child would retain a healthy BMI.
Getting plenty of physical activity at this age is important so that a child doesn’t accumulate too much excess body fat.
How much should a 3 year old girl weigh?
How much should a 3 year old girl weigh? Based on the data, a 3 year old girl should weigh about 34 pounds, seeing as this healthy weight is the average weight for 3 year old girls living in the US.
In kilograms, this body weight works out at 15.42 kg, which, in turn, is equal to 2.42 stones.
Between the ages of 3 and 4, a three year old girl can expect to gain 5-6 lbs of body weight—a similar amount to her male peers.
The average BMI for a 3 year old girl is 16.2, which is in the normal range and is therefore considered to be a healthy body mass index.
How to make sure that your 3 year old grows properly
Ensuring that your 3 year old receives adequate nutrition at every meal is an important yet challenging job for every parent.
One great piece of advice that we found, which should make your task easier—even as your child gets older—is to turn the TV off (and other screen-based devices) while your 3-year-old is eating their meals.
As noted in the referenced article, adverts for junk food can influence your child’s desire for certain foods. [3] And since accommodating your 3-year-olds preferences for certain healthy foods is important, you don’t want them to keep asking for sugar-loaded cereals or other such foods.
Continuing with the theme of limiting TV time, ensuring that your three year old doesn’t stay up too late is crucial because children need a lot of sleep at this age. Experts recommend that 3 year olds get between 10 and 13 hours of sleep per 24 hours. [4]
What’s the verdict on the average 3 year old height and weight?
Without knowing the average 3 year old height and the average 3 year old weight, it can be difficult to know if your child is developing at the ideal rate.
And while some children will naturally be shorter or taller (and thus lighter or heavier) than their peers, it’s still important to track your child’s growth on a regular basis.
References
- CHOC – Children’s Health of Orange County. (2021, June 28). Development Milestones for Your 3-Year-Old Child. Children’s Health Orange County. Retrieved from https://www.choc.org/primary-care/ages-stages/3-years/
- Hayes, D. (2020, October 21). What and How Much Should My Preschooler Be Eating? eatright.org. https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/dietary-guidelines-and-myplate/what-and-how-much-should-my-preschooler-be-eating
- Feeding & Nutrition Tips: Your 3-Year-Old. (n.d.). HealthyChildren.org. Retrieved from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Feeding-and-Nutrition-Your-Three-Year-Old.aspx
- Suni, E. (2022, September 22). How Much Sleep Do Babies and Kids Need? Sleep Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-much-sleep-do-kids-need