Wiktionary
n. the period between childhood and adolescence
Wikipedia
Preadolescence, also known as pre-teen or tween, is a stage of human development following early childhood and preceding adolescence. It generally ends with the beginning of puberty, but may also be defined as ending with the start of the teenage years. For example, dictionary definitions generally designate it as 10–13 years. Preadolescence can bring its own challenges and anxieties.
Usage examples of "preadolescence".
A girl, on the gawky end of preadolescence, with hair the color of her mother’s, leaned out into the hallway.
A girl, on the gawky end of preadolescence, with hair the color of her mother's, leaned out into the hallway.
They were, he guessed from their gawkiness and lack of adult proportionings, still somewhere in preadolescence, dark-haired and oliveskinned like their parents.