Do you ever see a great deal on cute little leather Mary Janes or winter snow boots and then, well, AAAGH.  You can’t remember the exact size of your children’s’ feet! They change so fast – don’t they? Well, with our little cheat sheet Shoe Size Chart, you will be fine.  Cross off their current size as they are wearing it, and you’ll be one step ahead.

How to Measure a Child’s Foot

In order to get a correct measurement, a child needs to be standing upright with weight balanced between the heel and the toe. Ideally, have them stand against a wall with equal weight on each foot. This provides a great opportunity to put a mark on the height chart too! Place something, like a ruler or book, at the tip of the longest toe, and take the measurement from the wall to that point. You can also grab an inexpensive shoe sizer. In terms of width, listen to your kid. If there is a liner inside a boot, take it out and make sure their foot isn’t falling over the edges.

Figuring Out How Much a Child’s Foot Will Grow

This is the tough part. Should the shoe be snug like the cleats of pro soccer players? How large can you buy a running shoe so you don’t have to get another pair in 3 months? The general rule is to leave 1-1.5cm from the toe to the tip of the shoe for growth. As a mom, I know my boys pretty well, and will shy on the higher end if I know they haven’t had a growth spurt recently.

Before the age of 2, children’s feet typically grow about 2 cm a year. Between the ages of 2-5, you can expect growth at around 1.5 cm a year. Between the ages of 6-11, their feet usually grow by approximately 1 cm over the course of a year. After that it’s like the wild west. My older son, from age 12-14, has been through two shoe sizes each year.

European and North American Shoe Sizes

I find that European sizes tend to fit a bit smaller than their North American counterparts. Another great idea is to have them wear the new shoes with socks and on carpet inside for an hour, so if there are any pain points you can head back to the store.

US + Canada Shoe Size Euro Size Inches Approx. Age
0 0-6 weeks
1 16 3 1/3 6 wks – 3 mths
2 17 3 2/3 3-6 months
3 18 4 6-9 months
3.5 18 4 1/6
4 19 4 1/3 9-12 months
4.5 20 4 1/2
5 20 4 2/3 18-24 months
5.5 21 4 5/6
6 21 5 2 years
6.5 22 5 1/6
7 23 5 1/3 2.5 years
7.5 24 5 1/2
8 24 5 2/3 3 years
8.5 25 5 5/6
9 26 6 3.5 years
9.5 26 6 1/6
10 27 6 1/3
10.5 28              6.5
11 28 6 2/3 4.5 years
11.5 29 6 5/6
12 30 7 5 years
12.5 31 7 1/6
13 31 7 1/3 5.5 years
13.5 32 7 1/2
1 32 7 2/3 7 years
1.5 33 7 5/6
2 34 8 7.5 years
2.5 34 8 1/6
3 35 8 1/3 8 years
3.5 35 8 1/2
4 36 8 2/3 8.5 years
4.5 36 8 5/6
5 37 9 9 years+
5.5 38 9 1/6
6 9 1/3

 

More Helpful Printables

If you are interested in organizing and other helpful stuff, we have free printable laundry labels, a toddler chore chart, and teething chart as well.

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