An international study of over 3,500 children aged three and four has established a new benchmark, showing preschoolers typically take around 18,500 steps daily, significantly higher than previous estimates, raising questions about activity levels during early growth stages.
Researchers have found that three- and four-year-olds typically take far more steps each day than many adults might expect, with a new international study suggesting a median of 18,542 steps. Published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, the work is being presented as the first global reference point for daily step counts in preschool-age children.
The study examined data from more than 3,500 children aged three and four in 44 countries, collected between 2018 and 2025. Participants wore a step counter on the hip for at least three days, allowing researchers to build a picture of everyday movement in early childhood, a period that experts say is important for growth and development.
The findings showed wide differences between children. Among three-year-olds, daily step counts ranged from 1,124 at the low end to 29,320 at the top. Boys generally recorded more steps than girls, and children in low-income and middle-income countries, as well as those living in rural areas, tended to post higher averages than children in wealthier nations and urban settings. The researchers said the new figures could eventually work in a similar way to paediatric growth charts, offering a practical benchmark for comparing a child’s activity with an international standard.
The authors were careful, however, not to overstate the implications. Because the study was observational and captured behaviour over a relatively short period, it cannot explain why the differences exist. The team also noted that national sample sizes were small in some places, which may limit how confidently the results can be extended to entire populations. Their work builds on earlier attempts to translate movement guidance into step targets for preschool children, including a Flemish study that suggested a provisional goal of 11,500 steps a day, though the new international benchmark is considerably higher.
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