'बचपन और जन्म से लेकर किशोरावस्था तक के आयु काल को कहते है। मैकमिलन डिक्शनरी फॉर स्टुडेंट्स मैकमिलन, पैन लिमिटेड (1981), पृष्ठ 173. 2010/07/15 को पुनःप्राप्त.</ref> विकासात्मक मनोविज्ञान में, बचपन को शैशवावस्था, प्रारंभिक बचपन, मध्य बचपन, तथा किशोरावस्था के विकासात्मक चरणों में विभाजित किया गया है।

A child (pl. children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. It may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking countries, the legal definition of child generally refers to a minor, in this case as a person younger than the local age of majority, regardless of their physical, mental and sexual development as biological adults. Children generally have fewer rights and responsibilities than adults. They are generally classed as unable to make serious decisions.