20 Adjectives to Describe a Child

20 Adjectives to Describe a Child (a natural vocabulary lesson for English learners)

20 Adjectives to Describe a Child

When we describe children, we are often talking about personality, behaviour, and natural tendencies. Some children are full of energy, others are quiet observers. Some love rules, others enjoy breaking conventions. English gives us plenty of adjectives to describe these differences clearly and naturally. In this lesson, you’ll learn 20 adjectives to describe a child, each explained in simple terms and supported by fresh, realistic example sentences. These words are useful for everyday conversation, descriptive writing, and exam tasks at B1–B2 level.

Adventurous

Meaning: ready to try new things and explore unfamiliar places or ideas.

• Even as a small child, adventurous John loved wandering ahead on walks and asking where each and every way led.

Artistic

Meaning: naturally interested in art, music, or creative expression.

• The fridge was always covered in drawings because our artistic child enjoyed expressing feelings through pictures.

Bold

Meaning: confident and willing to act or speak without fear.

• Sandra was so bold yesterday. She surprised everyone by raising her hand and challenging the teacher’s opinion. 

Clever

Meaning: quick-thinking and good at understanding new information.

• It didn’t take long for the clever child to work out how the puzzle fit together.

Creative

Meaning: able to come up with original ideas or solutions.

• Instead of following the instructions, the creative child invented a completely new game.

Curious

Meaning: wanting to know more and asking many questions.

• The curious child spent the afternoon examining insects in the garden.

Eager

Meaning: keen and excited to do something.

• He stood by the door, eager to leave for his first day at school.

Energetic

Meaning: full of movement and enthusiasm.

• From morning until bedtime, the energetic child barely stopped moving.

Frail

Meaning: physically delicate or easily tired.

• The frail child needed frequent breaks during outdoor activities.

Gifted

Meaning: showing unusually high ability in a particular area.

• Teachers quickly noticed that the gifted child solved problems far beyond the expected level.

Imaginative

Meaning: able to invent stories and picture things vividly in the mind.

• Using only a stick and a blanket, the child created an entire fantasy world.

Lively

Meaning: cheerful, active, and full of life.

• The lively child filled the room with laughter and constant chatter.

Playful

Meaning: enjoying jokes, games, and light-hearted behaviour.

• Even simple chores became fun when the playful child turned them into competitions.

Polite

Meaning: showing good manners and respect for others.

• The child waited patiently, thanked the shop assistant, and held the door open.

Rebellious

Meaning: often refusing to accept rules or authority.

• The rebellious child deliberately broke small rules to see what would happen.

Responsible

Meaning: able to be trusted with duties or decisions.

• Without being reminded, the responsible child fed the dog and tidied the room.

Restless

Meaning: unable to relax or stay still for long.

• During long car journeys, the restless child constantly shifted and asked to stop.

Sensitive

Meaning: easily affected by emotions or the feelings of others.

• The sensitive child became upset when classmates argued loudly.

Shy

Meaning: quiet and uncomfortable around unfamiliar people.

• At parties, the shy child often stayed close to a parent before joining in.

Troublesome

Meaning: frequently causing problems or disturbances.

• The troublesome child enjoyed interrupting conversations at the least appropriate moment.

Final learning tip

When describing a child, remember:

• adjectives can be neutral, positive, or negative, depending on context
• combining adjectives often sounds more natural

👉 a quiet but imaginative child

👉 an energetic and adventurous child

The more precisely you describe people, the more natural and confident your English will sound — especially in writing tasks and storytelling.

Learn adjectives to describe a mother here

Learn adjectives to describe a father here