Distinguishing Kids & Children

All of us know that children and kids are synonyms and used interchangeably by people when referring to human beings who are not yet adults. We seem to talk in terms of children when we are referring to lots of them playing in a playground but use the word kids when we are talking about our own or our friends’. Is there a difference between kids and children? Let us find out in this article.

Key Takeaways

• While “kid” was used to refer to the offspring of a goat until the 16th century, it has now become acceptable for the offspring of humans.
• Children is a word that is a plural of “child” and a formal way to refer to human beings that are not adults.
• “Kid” can be derogatory at times, but “children” is always formal and polite.

Kids

Do you ask if your friend has kids at home or do you ask if he has children? It seems we have become used to the word kids when we are more affectionate or when we are talking about children whom we know. In general though, we continue to talk in terms of children. Until the end of the 16th century, “kid” was a word that was used to refer to the offspring of a goat. It was only extended to offspring of humans as slang in 1590. Slowly and gradually, the word came to be accepted as an alternative to human offspring. At times, being called a kid can seem derogatory when the person being so addressed is an adult. Treating someone with kid gloves is another example of being soft on someone despite the need to be harsh.

Children

‘Children’ is the plural of child, and we know what a child means. It means the offspring of a human being. ‘Children’ is a formal way of referring to a group of kids playing or sitting in a classroom or a playground. A baby human being is called a child and so many of such human beings together ought to be referred to as children.

Kids vs Children

• While “kid” was used to refer to the offspring of a goat until the 16th century, it has now become acceptable for the offspring of humans.
• Children is a word that is a plural of child and a formal way to refer to human beings that are not adults.
• Kid can be derogatory at times, but children is always formal and polite.
• Kid is used more with children that we know personally, like our own or the children of our friends.