Kids Shoe Size Table
| US | EU | UK | Foot (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 17 | 1 | 9.0 |
| 3 | 18 | 2 | 9.5 |
| 4 | 19-20 | 3 | 10.5 |
| 5 | 20-21 | 4 | 11.0 |
| 6 | 22 | 5 | 12.0 |
| 7 | 23 | 6 | 13.0 |
| 8 | 24 | 7 | 13.5 |
| 9 | 25-26 | 8 | 14.5 |
| 10 | 27 | 9 | 15.5 |
| 11 | 28 | 10 | 16.5 |
| 12 | 29-30 | 11 | 17.5 |
| 13 | 31 | 12 | 18.5 |
| Youth 1 | 32 | 13 | 19.5 |
| Youth 2 | 33 | 1 | 20.5 |
| Youth 3 | 34 | 2 | 21.5 |
Children's shoe sizing runs two American scales in sequence - infant/toddler sizes 0-13, then youth 1-7 which confusingly restarts - while Europe states foot length in a readable number and the UK counts its own ladder. The table below maps the whole childhood run from a 9 cm toddler foot to the 22.5 cm foot that hands off to adult sizing.
Bottom line: kids' feet grow about a centimeter a year (faster in growth spurts), which is roughly two to three shoe sizes annually for toddlers - the practical rule is a thumb's width (about 1 cm) of growing room past the longest toe, checked every 2-3 months under age 3 and every 4-6 months after.
The honest part: kids' shoes are the least standardized footwear on earth - brands vary up to a full size from the chart, children cannot articulate fit problems, and the classic parenting error is buying to the age label instead of the foot. Measure both feet (they differ by up to half a size), buy to the larger one, and let the cm column overrule any label argument.
How to use
- Stand the child on paper, mark heel and longest toe, and measure both feet in centimeters at day's end.
- Find the cm row in the table and read across to US, EU and UK - add the thumb-width growing room on top.
- Re-check every 2-3 months for toddlers and every new season for school-age kids; pressed toes are the silent tell.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when my child needs bigger shoes?
Press your thumb into the toe: less than a centimeter past the longest toe means buy now, not next month. The worn tells come later - toes pressed visibly against the mesh, blisters on toe tips, the child pulling shoes off early, or a new reluctance to run. Feet grow in bursts, not steadily, so a shoe that fit in September can fail by November; check both feet on paper before every seasonal buy.
Why do US kids' shoe sizes restart after 13?
History, twice: the infant scale runs 0-13 by about a third of an inch per size, and the youth scale restarts at 1 because the grading rules were drafted as separate systems a century apart. A youth 1 is longer than a kids' 13 by about half a centimeter, which is why the tables show them as distinct rows. The EU sidesteps the whole mess with one continuous number (16 to 35) that just counts foot length - the honest column on this chart.
How much growing room should kids' shoes have?
About one centimeter, or a thumb's width, past the longest toe - enough for 3-4 months of growth, not so much that the foot slides and blisters. More room is not safer: oversized shoes trip new walkers and alter gait for school-age kids, which is why 'buy big to save money' fails past the toddler years. The exceptions that tolerate extra room: sandals and rain boots, where the structure matters less and seasons are short.
Do kids need arch support in shoes?
Most children under school age have flat-looking feet by design - the arch fat pad fills in through early childhood, and rigid arch support can interfere with natural foot muscle development. What kids' shoes genuinely need: a flexible sole that bends where the foot bends, room at the toes, a firm heel counter, and breathable material. Specialized orthotics are for diagnosed conditions, on a podiatrist's advice - not a standard feature every parent should shop for.