Background: Early childhood development plays a vital role in a child's future health, education, and well-being. Rural children, however, encounter distinct challenges compared to urban ones. Issues like limited healthcare access, poor nutrition, sanitation, and low socioeconomic status are more common in rural areas and can profoundly affect child development. Aim and Objectives: The aim of a study is to explore the determinants of growth and development in children under five years old residing in rural areas is to understand the various factors that influence the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of young children in rural settings. Materials and methods: The study utilizes a cross-sectional research design and focuses on children under the age of five years living in rural areas of Belagavi. Ethical approval preceded data collection. Cluster sampling was done, dividing Belagavi's rural areas into two villages. Samples was randomly drawn from each village, proportionate to the under-five years population. Results:In terms of growth, 66.89% were "developed," and 33.11% were "not developed." The study explored how demographic factors and caregiving related to child development. Younger mothers (<21 years: 40.27%, 21-25 years: 33.45%) had more "not developed" children. Hindus (63.68%) had higher "not developed" rates than Muslims (17.40%) and Christians (18.92%). Conclusion: Socio-demographic factors have a significant influence on child development, guiding targeted interventions for positive outcomes and reducing disparities. Additional research is required to understand complex interactions among these factors and their long-term effects on children's well-being.

Growth, Development, Social Determinants, Under-five Children