# Childs

/ˈtʃaɪɫdz/ (US) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/childs
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

the plural form of 'child' used in some local ways of speaking. In standard English, you should always use 'children' instead.

For teachers: a non-standard plural of 'child', occurring in certain regional dialects or as a developmental error in language acquisition. It follows the regular English pluralisation rule rather than the standard irregular form.

## Examples

- The childs are playing in the garden.
- In some specific regional dialects, you might hear people say 'childs' instead of the standard 'children'.
- While 'childs' is a common overregularization in early childhood development, it remains a distinct feature of certain non-standard English varieties across the globe.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The three childs are here." but "The three children are here." — In standard English, 'child' has an irregular plural form: 'children'.

## Usage notes

- Non-standard plural form; takes plural verb agreement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.