To toddle means to walk with short, unsteady steps, the way very young children move when they're just learning to walk. A toddler (a child between about one and three years old) toddles across the room with wobbly legs, arms out for balance, looking like they might tip over at any moment but somehow staying upright.

The word comes from how these little kids actually move: their steps are small and uncertain, and they often sway from side to side as they go. When your baby cousin toddles toward you with a big smile, reaching out for a hug, those adorable stumbling steps are toddling.

You can also use toddle to describe anyone moving slowly and casually with small steps. If your grandmother says she's going to toddle off to bed, she means she's heading there in an unhurried, easygoing way. When someone says, “I think I'll toddle down to the library,” they're describing a leisurely, relaxed walk, not a brisk march with purpose.