kids will be kids
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Children cannot be expected to act like adults.
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “kids will be kids” mean?
Children cannot be expected to act like adults.
Is “kids will be kids” formal or informal?
kids will be kids is generally informal.