Kids’ Shoe Size Chart: Little Kid and Big Kid Sizes by Age

A kids shoe size chart runs in two stages. Little kid sizes count up to 13.5C, then the scale restarts at 1Y for big kids. Per Nike’s chart, a 7 1/4 inch foot is a 12C and an 8 9/16 inch foot is a 3Y. Measure foot length rather than going by age, because a child’s shoe size doesn’t track their age.

Kids’ sizing confuses parents for three reasons: the numbers reset partway through, the letters C and Y aren’t defined on most brand pages, and the age ranges brands print vary widely. This guide gives Nike’s little-kid and big-kid charts with foot lengths in inches, Stride Rite’s chart with lengths and widths in centimeters, and Carter’s/OshKosh’s chart with age ranges. Each brand’s table stays under its own name, because their conversions differ. For adult and kids’ systems together, see the shoe size conversion chart; for babies, see the toddler shoe size chart.

How kids’ shoe sizes work: C and Y

Nike groups its kids’ shoes into three ranges: Babies & Toddlers (1C–10C), Little Kids (8C–3Y) and Big Kids (1Y–7Y). The ranges overlap on purpose, so the same size can appear in two sections.

By general retail convention, “C” stands for child and “Y” for youth. Nike uses the letters but doesn’t define them on its size page, so treat that reading as a convention rather than an official standard. The structure is consistent, though: sizes climb from 1C to 13.5C, then the count restarts at 1Y and climbs again. A 1Y is bigger than a 13.5C, not smaller.

Stride Rite describes the same reset. Big-kid sizes start at 10.5, and after 13.5 the sizing switches to 1, 2, 3 and up. Skechers marks little-kid sizes with an “-L” suffix, such as 10.5-L or 13.5-L.

Little kid shoe sizes (per Nike, 8C–3Y)

Nike writes foot lengths in sixteenths (6 4/16 rather than 6 1/4), and lists them in inches only. As on its adult charts, the CM/JP column is a shoe size, not the child’s foot length in centimeters. Source: Nike kids’ footwear size chart.

Big kid shoe sizes (per Nike, 1Y–7Y)

Nike’s big-kid table adds the US men’s and women’s equivalents, which helps when a child moves into adult sizes or an adult with small feet shops the youth range.

Big-kid Y sizes equal US men’s sizes in length, so a 7Y is a men’s 7. In Nike sizing that’s 1.5 below the women’s number, which makes a 7Y a women’s 8.5. UK 6 appears for both 6.5Y and 7Y on Nike’s chart as published. For the adult side of the conversion, see the men’s shoe size chart, the women’s shoe size chart and the women’s to men’s shoe size guide.

Children’s shoe size chart with widths (per Stride Rite)

Stride Rite measures in centimeters and is one of the few brands that publishes kids’ widths. The M, W and XW columns are foot circumference in cm, measured around the widest part of the foot.

Stride Rite’s own stage labels are loose. Its foot-facts page lists Little Kid as sizes 1–10 for ages 1–4 and Big Kid as sizes 10.5–7 for ages 5–10, while other menus on the same site say ages 0–4, 5–13 or 5–13+. Its sizing-help page says little kids typically wear 3.5 to 10.

Kids’ shoe size by age (per Carter’s/OshKosh)

Carter’s/OshKosh is one of the few brands that prints ages next to kids’ shoe sizes. Its US site blocked access during research, so this table is from its Australian size guide, in centimeters.

Notice how wide those age bands are: four sizes for “2 to 4 yr”. That’s the honest answer to “kids shoe size by age”. Stride Rite says a child’s shoe size doesn’t correspond to their age, unless they’re a baby; sizing goes by current foot length and width. Nike doesn’t map ages to sizes at all. Use age only to know which section of a chart to look in, then measure.

Where brands disagree on kids’ EU sizes

EU equivalents mostly line up for kids, more than for adults. US 10 is EU 27 at both Nike (10C) and Carter’s, and 1Y is EU 32 at Nike, Carter’s and Skechers (1-L). They split at other sizes: a US 12 is EU 29.5 at Nike (12C), EU 30 at Carter’s and EU 28.5 at Skechers (12-L). Skechers’s other little-kid rows include 10.5-L = UK 9.5 = EU 27, 13.5-L = UK 12.5 = EU 31, and 3-L = UK 2 = EU 35. If you’re buying from a European brand, convert from foot length rather than from a US-to-EU shortcut.

How to measure a child’s feet

Nike offers a printable guide (print at 100% and check the scale against a credit or ID card). Without a printer:

1. Stand the child on a sheet of paper against a wall, heel touching the wall, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Trace both feet.
3. Measure both tracings from heel to the longest toe and use the longer one.
4. If the length falls between sizes, Nike recommends sizing up.

Stride Rite’s version puts the heel against a wall at the start of the ruler and marks the first point past the big toe. For width, wrap a ribbon or shoelace around the widest part of the foot, then measure the ribbon; that circumference is what the M, W and XW columns use. A soft tape measure does both jobs. Measure each foot and size to the larger one.

How often kids’ feet grow

Per Stride Rite, children’s feet can grow half a size or more every 2 to 4 months, so it recommends measuring about every two months. Until the mid-teens, feet grow about a size per year. Stride Rite also notes that kids often have flat feet until about age five, when the arch usually develops. Socks need replacing on the same schedule; the sock size chart includes kids’ sock sizes by shoe size.

The verdict

Measure, don’t guess from age. Nike’s charts are the best single reference for kids’ shoe sizes because they pair every half size from 8C to 7Y with a foot length, and the big-kid table shows exactly where youth sizes meet men’s and women’s. Use Stride Rite’s chart if width is the issue, since it is one of the few to publish M, W and XW measurements for kids. Expect the 13.5C-to-1Y reset to cause most of the confusion, and remember that a 1Y is the next size up. With feet growing half a size every few months, re-measure about every two months rather than buying the next size by habit.

FAQ

What is the difference between little kid and big kid shoe sizes?

Little kid sizes run up to 13.5C; big kid sizes restart at 1Y and run to 7Y at Nike. Nike’s Little Kids section covers 8C–3Y, so it overlaps the start of the Y run.

Is 13.5C bigger than 1Y?

No. 1Y is the next size up. Per Nike, 13.5C fits a 7 12/16 inch foot and 1Y fits 7 15/16 inches.

What size shoe does a 5-year-old wear?

There’s no set size by age. Carter’s/OshKosh lists 1Y to 3Y for “kid 4 to 8”, and Stride Rite’s Big Kid range covers ages 5–10. Measure the child’s foot and use the chart.

Is a 7Y the same as a men’s 7?

Yes, in length. Nike’s big-kid chart lists 7Y as US men’s 7 and US women’s 8.5.

How often should I measure my child’s feet?

About every two months, per Stride Rite, because feet can grow half a size or more every 2 to 4 months.