expression, noun
as a child; when one was a child
Refers to one's childhood period; often used in reminiscences or to describe past habits.
小さい頃、よくこの公園で遊んだ。
When I was a child, I often played in this park.
小さい頃の写真を見ると懐かしい。
Looking at photos from when I was a child makes me nostalgic.
Similar meaning, but 子供の頃 is slightly more formal and can refer to a broader childhood period, while 小さい頃 emphasizes early childhood.
Compound of 小さい (chiisai, 'small, little') and 頃 (koro, 'time, period'). The phrase literally means 'the time when one was small'.