A tot is a very young child, usually between the ages of one and three, when they're learning to walk and talk but still quite small. You might see tots toddling around a playground, playing in sandboxes, or holding their parents' hands. The word captures that special stage when kids are no longer babies but not quite ready for preschool.

Parents and teachers often call this age group toddlers, which is closely related to tot. Both words describe those years when children are developing their personalities, learning new words every day, and discovering how the world works through play and exploration. If you have younger siblings or cousins who are tots, you know they require patience and supervision, but they can also be surprisingly funny and curious about everything around them.