Girls can begin touching their genitals as early as infancy, though intentional masturbation as most people think of it typically starts during adolescence, around ages 13 to 14. The timeline varies widely from person to person, and self-touch at every stage of development is considered normal by pediatric health organizations.
Self-Touch Starts in Infancy
Babies discover their genitals the same way they discover their toes. Girls typically find their vulva around 10 to 11 months old, a few months later than boys usually notice their penis (around six to seven months). At this age, the touching is pure curiosity with no sexual intent behind it.
By ages two to five, genital touching becomes more common. A prospective study of children in this age range with no history of abuse found that caregivers frequently reported behaviors like touching genitals at home and in public, and these behaviors were equally common in boys and girls. Most children, both boys and girls, play with their external genitals fairly regularly by age five or six. This tends to taper off after age five as children become more socially aware, though it doesn’t disappear entirely. More than 50% of children engage in some type of sexual behavior before their 13th birthday.
Adolescence Is the Most Common Starting Point
While young children touch themselves out of curiosity or because it feels soothing, purposeful masturbation tied to sexual feelings usually begins with puberty. For girls, this tends to happen later than for boys. In one study, no girls under 13 reported masturbating, and 19% of girls ages 13 to 14 did. By ages 14 to 17, about 36% of girls reported recent masturbation. The equivalent numbers for boys are much higher at every age, which reflects both biological differences and the stronger cultural taboo girls face around the topic.
These numbers almost certainly undercount actual behavior. Girls are less likely to report masturbation on surveys due to stigma, and many don’t have language for what they’re doing or don’t recognize it as masturbation. The real percentages are likely higher across every age group.
Why Girls Tend to Start Later Than Boys
Several factors contribute to the gap. Boys’ genitals are external and more visible, making accidental discovery easier and earlier. Girls’ anatomy is less obvious, so many don’t realize that the clitoris exists or that touching certain areas feels different until they’re older. Cultural messaging also plays a role: girls receive less information about their own anatomy and more shame around sexual feelings, which can delay exploration by years.
Puberty itself matters too. Rising hormone levels create new physical sensations, and girls who go through puberty earlier may begin masturbating earlier. There’s no “right” age, and starting earlier or later than peers says nothing about a girl’s emotional health or development.
What’s Normal at Every Age
The American Academy of Pediatrics classifies genital touching and masturbation in both public and private settings as normal, common behavior in young children. The key markers of healthy behavior are that it’s occasional, the child can be easily redirected, and it doesn’t cause them distress or pain.
Behaviors that warrant attention are different in character, not just frequency. Red flags include sexual behavior that happens daily and can’t be redirected, behavior that causes emotional distress or physical pain, behavior involving coercion of other children, or sexual acts between children more than four years apart in age. These patterns can signal environmental stress or exposure to inappropriate content, and a pediatrician can help sort out what’s going on.
For toddlers and preschoolers who touch themselves in public, gentle redirection works best. Teaching a child that this is a private activity, without shame or punishment, is the approach most child development experts recommend. Making it a source of guilt can create lasting anxiety around their body.
Health Benefits in Adolescence and Beyond
Masturbation in adolescence helps girls learn about their own bodies and what feels pleasurable, which is information that contributes to healthier sexual experiences later. Research on adult women who masturbate shows a pattern of positive outcomes: higher self-esteem, greater sexual satisfaction, and increased comfort with their own desire. These benefits aren’t caused by masturbation alone, but they’re consistently associated with it.
There are no physical health risks to masturbation at any age, provided it’s done without objects that could cause injury. It doesn’t affect fertility, delay puberty, or cause any of the health problems that persistent myths suggest. It’s one of the safest ways for adolescents to explore their developing sexuality.