"Child" is the formal term for a young person; "kid" is informal and colloquial, but used in most everyday situations.
Noun. A young person, from birth to adolescence. Formal, legal, and literary term. Irregular plural: children.
Every child has the right to an education.
Cada nino tiene derecho a una educacion.
The organization works to protect children from abuse.
La organizacion trabaja para proteger a los ninos del abuso.
She has been teaching young children for twenty years.
Ella ha ensenado a ninos pequenos durante veinte anos.
Noun. A young person. Informal and very common in everyday conversation. Regular plural: kids.
How many kids do you have?
¿Cuantos hijos tienes?
The kids are playing in the backyard.
Los ninos estan jugando en el patio.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut.
Cuando era nino, queria ser astronauta.
Common mistake
Using "kid" in informal contexts is perfectly natural, not an error. The mistake is using "kid" in formal contexts that require "child": legal documents, medical reports, academic texts, serious news articles. "Child" is always safe in any context. "Kid" may sound too casual in professional or serious situations.
Trick to remember it
Use "child / children" in formal writing, documents, or serious contexts. Use "kid / kids" in daily conversation: it is what most native speakers say every day. "How many kids do you have?" sounds much more natural than "How many children do you have?" in casual conversation.
Quick rule
Child = formal, legal, written. Kid = everyday conversation, informal.
Did you know?
"Kid" originally meant a young goat. In the 18th century it began to be used informally for children. Today, "kids" is so common in American English that even teachers, doctors, and parents use it in conversation. "Children" is maintained in titles, laws, and formal texts: "The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child".
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The law requires all _____ under 16 to attend school.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
We played at the park with the _____ all afternoon.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Child = formal, legal, written. Kid = everyday conversation, informal.
Using "kid" in informal contexts is perfectly natural, not an error. The mistake is using "kid" in formal contexts that require "child": legal documents, medical reports, academic texts, serious news articles. "Child" is always safe in any context. "Kid" may sound too casual in professional or serious situations.
Use "child / children" in formal writing, documents, or serious contexts. Use "kid / kids" in daily conversation: it is what most native speakers say every day. "How many kids do you have?" sounds much more natural than "How many children do you have?" in casual conversation.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy