Normal resting pulse rates for 6 year olds
Median, boys and girls
At 6, a typical resting heart rate is about 85 bpm. Most children ages 6 to 8 have a resting heart rate between 68 and 105 bpm.
Resting heart rate percentiles for children ages 6 to 8
These numbers are for children ages 6 to 8. The national survey they come from reports heart rates by age group, not by single year.
| Percentile | Everyone | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 60 | 59 | 61 |
| 2nd | 64 | 63 | 66 |
| 5th | 68 | 66 | 69 |
| 10th | 71 | 70 | 73 |
| 25th | 78 | 76 | 79 |
| 50th | 85 | 83 | 87 |
| 75th | 93 | 92 | 94 |
| 90th | 101 | 100 | 101 |
| 95th | 105 | 105 | 106 |
| 97th | 109 | 109 | 109 |
| 99th | 116 | 114 | 117 |
What it means
At 6 years, you're in the 6–8 age group, which uses the same numbers for every age in it.
Exercise heart rate zones start at age 12, so at 6 years we show the resting heart rate only.
Children's hearts beat faster than adults'. A child's resting heart rate is usually faster than an adult's and slows down with age. That's why children have their own ranges instead of the adult range of 60 to 100 bpm.
Why ages are grouped. The national CDC survey behind these numbers reports heart rates by age group, not by single year. So every age in a group shares the same numbers.
Many things change it. Activity, excitement, fever and some medicines can raise a child's heart rate. A reading taken right after running or crying will be higher than a resting one.
How to check your child's heart rate
- Have your child sit quietly for a few minutes.
- Count the pulse at the wrist for 30 seconds and double it.
- Use a resting count, not one taken right after running or crying.
Nearby ages
Common questions
Short answers about how these calculators work.
Why do nearby ages share the same numbers? The national survey these numbers come from groups ages together, such as children ages 6 to 8. Each age in a group shows that group's numbers.
Is the median the same as the average? No. The median is the middle value, so half of children are lower and half are higher. The average can be a beat or two different.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- Resting pulse rate reference data for children, adolescents, and adults: United States, 1999–2008 (opens in a new tab) - National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, 2011Typical resting heart rates by age and sex
- All about heart rate (opens in a new tab) - American Heart AssociationNormal resting heart rate range for adults
- Bradycardia: slow heart rate (opens in a new tab) - American Heart AssociationWhen a slow heart rate needs medical care
- Target heart rates chart (opens in a new tab) - American Heart AssociationHow to take your pulse
- Pulse (opens in a new tab) - MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of MedicineNormal heart rate ranges by age
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