Kids' sizes by age: the back-to-school guide
Not sure what clothing size or shoe size to choose for your child? The most reliable approach is to use their actual height in centimetres rather than their age: at the same age, sizes vary a lot. The table below shows the average correspondence between age, clothing size (cm) and shoe size, from 2 to 14 years.
Kids' size-by-age chart
| Age | Clothing size (cm) | Chest circumference | Shoe size (EU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 86 | 52 | 23 - 24 |
| 3 | 94 | 54 | 25 - 26 |
| 4 | 102 | 56 | 27 |
| 5 | 108 | 58 | 28 - 29 |
| 6 | 114 | 60 | 30 |
| 7 | 120 | 62 | 31 - 32 |
| 8 | 126 | 64 | 32 - 33 |
| 9 | 132 | 67 | 33 - 34 |
| 10 | 138 | 70 | 34 - 35 |
| 11 | 144 | 73 | 35 - 36 |
| 12 | 150 | 76 | 36 - 37 |
| 13 | 156 | 82 | 37 - 38 |
| 14 | 162 | 88 | 38 - 39 |
Indicative values. Kids' clothing sizes are labelled by height in cm (a size “8 years” ≈ 126 cm). For shoes, measure the foot and add 0.5–1 cm of growing room.
Our detailed kids' size guides
For each type of item, see the full correspondence table:
Frequently asked questions
What clothing size for an 8-year-old?
On average, an 8-year-old wears a size 126 cm (often labelled “8 years”). Rely mainly on their actual height in centimetres: at age 8, height commonly ranges from 122 to 130 cm.
What age is a size 140?
Size 140 (cm) corresponds on average to a 10-year-old. Kids' sizes are given by height: 140 cm = 10 years, 152 cm = 12 years, 164 cm = 14 years.
104 cm is what age?
A size 104 cm corresponds on average to a 4-year-old (between the 102 cm of a 4-year-old and the 108 cm of a 5-year-old).
How do I choose my child's shoe size for back to school?
Measure the length of the foot in centimetres, then add 0.5 to 1 cm of room for growth. Then check our kids' shoe size guide for the EU / FR / US / UK correspondence.
Should I choose the size by age or by height in cm?
By height in cm whenever possible. Age is only an average guide: two children of the same age can be several sizes apart. Measure height and chest.