Nobody grows at a perfectly steady rate. Kids grow in spurts, with faster stretches and slower stretches. Each child grows at their own pace. Doctors measure how kids grow and mark the numbers on a growth chart to follow growth over time.

Bones grow at special spots called growth plates. This is where bones make new bone, so the bones can grow longer. A long bone does not grow from its middle outward. It grows at each end, next to a growth plate.

Kids need healthy food every day to grow. Calcium is a mineral that helps build strong bones, and milk, yogurt and cheese are among the best food sources of calcium. Vitamin D helps the body take in the calcium it gets from food.

Let us look at a good plate. A good plate has half vegetables and fruits. Healthy protein foods are poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. Kids need healthy food every day to grow, and a good plate is a big part of that.

Sleep helps kids grow, because growing bodies need the rest. Sleep comes in stages. Light sleep is easy to wake from. Deep sleep is hard to wake from. In deep sleep, the body releases hormones that kids need for growth.

How much sleep is enough? As of November 2026, kids 6 to 12 years old need 9 to 12 hours of sleep in every 24 hours. Kids 3 to 5 years old need 10 to 13 hours a day, with naps. Babies 4 to 12 months old need 12 to 16 hours a day.

Running, jumping and playing make muscles and bones stronger. As of November 2026, kids 6 to 17 years old need at least 60 minutes of active play or exercise every day. Kids ages 3 to 5 should be active all through the day, and active play is the best way for younger children to move.

Here is one thing to remember. A long bone grows at each end, next to a growth plate. Most long bones have two growth plates, one near each end. That is where bones make new bone, so the bones can grow longer.

Words to know

• calcium: bone-building mineral
• hormones: body messengers
• spurts: quick bursts
• protein: body-building food
• mineral: a rock-like nutrient