The paper initially describes the concept of childhood and provides an insight into childhood in ancient times. The attitude of adults towards children, the roles of children in the family and raising children, and the task of education are stated. Then, childhood during the Middle Ages and Humanism and the Renaissance is described. The work touches on children's education, upbringing, understanding children and childhood, and the influence of society. After that, childhood in the new century and the changes that followed in the understanding of that life period are described. The changes that took place in terms of upbringing and education are mentioned, and childhood in Croatia between the First and Second World War is also described. Then, the modern approach to childhood is presented, that is, the emergence of the modern idea of childhood. The work provides an insight into new understandings of the child as a complete and competent being who has his own rights and freedoms. As part of the modern approach, three aspects that influenced the change of childhood are mentioned and those are institutionalization of childhood, the standardization of children's play and the digitization of childhood.