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What is the logic behind referring to "three kids" as either

три ребенка

or, alternatively,

трое детей?

Why do you use different words for "three"?

EDIT: Since this seems to be the "human animate plural", let me alter the question to:

Why does "детей" qualify for this plural, while "ребенка" does not?

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    This has been asked (and answered) here already, search for "human animate plural".
    – tum_
    Commented Aug 16, 2019 at 18:55
  • 1
    Possible duplicate of human animate plural - двое, трое,
    – Alexander
    Commented Aug 16, 2019 at 19:41
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    As for the edited question - collective numerals require a noun in its plural form. "Ребёнок" is a singular form, while "дети" is a plural form.
    – VaNdal
    Commented Aug 17, 2019 at 8:41
  • Why, you can say "трое ребят".
    – Headcrab
    Commented Aug 19, 2019 at 0:51
  • @Headcrab "Ребята" is a plural form as well.
    – VaNdal
    Commented Aug 19, 2019 at 8:10

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Собирательные числительные (двое, трое и т. д.) могут использоваться только с существительными мужского рода, существительными, обозначающими детёнышей животных или имеющими только форму множественного числа:

двое мужчин, двое парней, двое котят, двое ножниц.

It is not "human animate plural" it "collective plural" ( means smth like "all together"). It can be used only with male gender, nouns for animal younglings or nouns wich has only plural form. "Дети" is exactly last one. It has single form "дитя", but it is cosidered somewhat obsolete and is not used much (only in some special cases, like "посмотри - он такое ещё дитя!" or (about wildman) "дитя природы")

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