Walk into any school classroom in the country, and you will see a group of children roughly the same age that are different from each other in height, weight and stature. According to KidsHealth by Nemours, genes, lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity play the biggest role in a child's growth and development. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied the growth of thousands of children and created standard growth charts to help pediatricians track a child's development and pinpoint any deficiencies early on.
Birth to 1 Year Old
From birth until the age of 3, pediatricians use a child's height, weight and head circumference to determine appropriate physical progression. Tracking the distance around the largest part of the head helps medical practitioners determine whether brain development is keeping pace with the rest of the child's growth.
By their first birthday, typical measurements for boys range from 19 to 27 pounds and 28 to 31 inches in height, with a head circumference of 17 to 19 inches. Girls weigh between 18 to 25 pounds, are 27 to 31 inches in height and have a head circumference of 17 to 18.5 inches.
Two Years Old
At 2 years old, boys normally weigh between 23.5 to 33.5 pounds, are 32 to 36.5 inches in height and have a head circumference of 18 to 20 inches. Girls weigh 22.5 to 32 pounds, are 31.5 to 35.5 inches in height and have a head circumference of 17.5 to 19.5 inches.
Three Years Old
When boys reach their third birthday, weight ranges from 26 to 38 pounds, height from 35.5 to 40.5 inches and head circumference from 18.5 to 20.5 inches. Girls' weight ranges from 26 to 38 pounds, height from 35 to 40 inches and head circumference from 18 to 20 inches.
Four Years Old
When children turn four years old, pediatricians stop using the head circumference as a marker and turn to Body Mass Index, or BMI, instead. BMI is calculated using a person's height and weight, and it gives medical practitioners a reliable means to pinpoint potential problems with weight, including obesity. The Baylor College of Medicine warns that a high BMI in the 85th percentile or higher is not necessarily indicative of weight problems. Very athletic children, particularly athletic teenage African-American boys, may have a higher than normal BMI due to extra muscle mass, not body fat.
At this age, boys weigh between 30 to 44 pounds, are 38 to 43 inches tall and have a BMI between 14 and 18. Girls range from 29 to 44 pounds in weight, 37 to 42.5 inches in height and have a BMI between 13 and 18.
Five Years Old
At five years old, boys generally weigh between 32 and 50 pounds, are 40 to 45 inches tall and have a BMI ranging from 14 to 18. Girls weigh 30 to 48 pounds, are 39 to 45 inches in height and have a BMI of 13.5 to 18.5.
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