Child Height and Weight Chart (2026)

A 5-year-old boy is 112 cm tall and weighs 18.5 kg. By comparing these measurements with data for boys his age, you can estimate his general growth range and then review past measurements to see how his growth is changing over time.

What Is a Child Height and Weight Chart?

A child height and weight chart provides growth reference data organized by age and sex. Use this chart to view height and weight data for boys and girls at different ages. It can support growth tracking at home, help you review health screening results, and organize information before a medical appointment.

The values describe how measurements are distributed among children of the same age and sex. They are not pass-or-fail targets that every child must meet. Height mainly reflects skeletal growth, while weight is also influenced by height, muscle mass, body fat, diet, and recent health. The two measurements should therefore be considered together.

“2026” in the title indicates that this page is intended for searches in 2026; it does not mean child growth standards are revised every year. To determine whether the data applies to your child, check the age range, reference population, region, and standard version used by the chart.

How to Use the Chart

1. Confirm your child’s exact age. For babies and toddlers, record age in months rather than rounding up to the next year.
2. Find the section for boys or girls. Do not mix data from the two groups.
3. Locate the correct row in the age column. For example, if your child has just turned 5, use the 5-year-old row.
4. Read the height and weight reference values in that row, then compare them with the measured values in centimeters and kilograms.
5. Record the date and results, then measure again under similar conditions in 3 to 6 months. A single measurement can provide context, but the growth trend is usually more informative.

This page is a reference tool, not a diagnostic questionnaire. If the chart does not include fields for date of birth, age in months, or percentile calculations, do not treat a whole-year age row as a month-specific result.

Step-by-Step Example

Main example: A boy has just turned 5. He measures 112 cm without shoes and weighs 18.5 kg in light clothing. Open the boys’ section, find the “Age 5” row, and compare 112 cm and 18.5 kg with the height and weight values shown there.

If the row uses percentiles, identify the two percentiles between which 112 cm falls. This gives an approximate height range. For example, if it falls between P25 and P50, roughly 25% to 50% of boys the same age have a height at or below that measurement. Check weight in the same way, but do not assume a child’s body composition is healthy simply because their weight is near the middle value.

You can also calculate BMI as an additional measure: BMI = weight ÷ height² = 18.5 ÷ 1.12² = 18.5 ÷ 1.2544 ≈ 14.75 kg/m². A child’s BMI must be interpreted using age- and sex-specific references. Adult BMI cutoffs such as 18.5 or 24 do not apply. If the chart has no BMI column, the page will not calculate this value automatically.

Comparison example: Another 5-year-old boy is also 112 cm tall but weighs 25 kg. His BMI is 25 ÷ 1.12² ≈ 19.93 kg/m². Although the boys are the same height, the second child weighs 6.5 kg more. Weight-for-age alone is not enough in this case. Use BMI-for-age or weight-for-height standards and consult a pediatrician or child health clinic.

How to Interpret the Results

A percentile shows rank, not a score. P10, for example, means that about 10% of children of the same age and sex have a measurement below that value. Rather than aiming for P50, focus on whether your child follows a relatively stable growth curve and whether height and weight remain proportionate.

Common Uses

• Tracking growth at home: Measure your child every few months and record the results alongside the matching age row in this chart to see whether height and weight are changing steadily.
• Reviewing health screening results: After receiving a preschool or school health report, compare the results with references for the same age and sex. If a measurement is near a boundary, bring previous records when speaking with a clinician; the trend is more useful than a single number.
• Before changing diet or activity: If weight appears unusually high or low, first verify height, age, and measurement conditions. Then use a child-specific measure such as BMI-for-age. Do not start a restrictive diet or supplements based only on a standard weight value.

Common Mistakes and Important Notes

• Using traditional age counting instead of exact age, or ignoring an infant’s age in months, can lead you to the wrong row.
• Boys and girls have different growth distributions, so their charts are not interchangeable.
• Shoes, weighing after a meal, an uneven floor, or a scale that has not been zeroed can introduce errors. Height may be recorded to about 0.1 cm and weight to about 0.1 kg, although home equipment may not reliably achieve that precision.
• Do not confuse recumbent length with standing height. Children under age 2 are generally measured lying down, while older children are measured standing. The two methods produce systematically different results.
• Weight-for-age alone is not a reliable measure of underweight or overweight. Taller children often weigh more, so also consider weight-for-height or BMI-for-age.

This chart cannot diagnose short stature, obesity, malnutrition, precocious puberty, or endocrine disorders, and it cannot predict final adult height. Premature infants may require corrected age, while children with chronic conditions, genetic syndromes, or rapid pubertal growth need individualized assessment. Consult a pediatrician or child health clinic if height is approximately below −2 SD, growth slows noticeably, weight changes rapidly, or there are concerns about appetite, energy, or development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does being below average mean my child is not growing properly?
No. The average is simply the midpoint of a population. Genetics, birth history, and the timing of puberty all affect height and weight. This chart is useful for an initial comparison, but growth trends and clinical assessment matter more.

Why does the “normal range” differ between charts?
Charts may use Chinese national standards, WHO reference data, different survey years, or different age groupings. Before comparing results, check the source, target population, and version. Do not combine values from two different standards.

How often should I check?
Healthy school-age children can be checked periodically as part of routine growth records or health screenings; daily weighing is unnecessary. Babies, premature infants, and children under medical follow-up should be measured according to their child health care plan.

What if the chart does not list my child’s age in months?
Do not treat neighboring whole-year values as a precise estimate. For children under age 7, use standards published by month whenever possible or ask a child health professional to plot the measurements on a growth chart.

Can parents’ heights be used to predict adult height?
This height and weight chart only compares measurements at the child’s current age; it does not predict adult height. Genetics-based formulas provide only an estimated range, while bone age, puberty, and overall health can also affect the outcome.

Should I immediately change my child’s diet if a result is high or low?
First repeat the measurement under the same conditions and review previous growth records. Do not give children height-enhancing products or hormones, or put them on an adult weight-loss diet. A pediatrician or registered dietitian should assess the possible cause.

Return to the chart above, select the row for your child’s exact age and sex, and compare the latest height and weight measurements with previous records.