Kids' Shoe Size Finder
Enter the longer foot's measurement to estimate a US kids' shoe size and see whether a Footminders insole is available.
Measure both feet while standing and use the longer measurement. Enter the foot itself — do not add anything for growth or toe room. This chart converts bare foot length to a US size; a well-fitting shoe will be longer than the foot.
US shoe sizing varies by brand and style. Treat this as a starting size and confirm it with the shoe manufacturer's chart.
Kids' shoe size reference chart
The highlighted row is the estimated result. The orange line marks the transition from size 13 to youth size 1Y.
| US Size | Category | Inches | CM | Insole Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Toddler | 4.50 | 11.4 | n/a |
| 4.5 | Toddler | 4.67 | 11.9 | n/a |
| 5 | Toddler | 4.83 | 12.3 | n/a |
| 5.5 | Toddler | 5.00 | 12.7 | n/a |
| 6 | Toddler | 5.17 | 13.1 | n/a |
| 6.5 | Toddler | 5.33 | 13.5 | n/a |
| 7 | Toddler | 5.50 | 14.0 | n/a |
| 7.5 | Toddler | 5.67 | 14.4 | n/a |
| 8 | Toddler | 5.83 | 14.8 | n/a |
| 8.5 | Toddler | 6.00 | 15.2 | n/a |
| 9 | Toddler | 6.17 | 15.7 | n/a |
| 9.5 | Toddler | 6.33 | 16.1 | n/a |
| 10 | Toddler | 6.50 | 16.5 | SK |
| 10.5 | Little Kid | 6.67 | 16.9 | SK |
| 11 | Little Kid | 6.83 | 17.4 | SK |
| 11.5 | Little Kid | 7.00 | 17.8 | SK |
| 12 | Little Kid | 7.17 | 18.2 | SK |
| 12.5 | Little Kid | 7.33 | 18.6 | SK |
| 13 | Little Kid | 7.50 | 19.1 | K |
| 1Y | Big Kid / Youth | 7.83 | 19.9 | K |
| 1.5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 8.00 | 20.3 | K |
| 2Y | Big Kid / Youth | 8.17 | 20.7 | K |
| 2.5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 8.33 | 21.2 | K |
| 3Y | Big Kid / Youth | 8.50 | 21.6 | X-SMALL |
| 3.5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 8.67 | 22.0 | X-SMALL |
| 4Y | Big Kid / Youth | 8.83 | 22.4 | X-SMALL |
| 4.5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 9.00 | 22.9 | X-SMALL |
| 5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 9.17 | 23.3 | X-SMALL |
| 5.5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 9.33 | 23.7 | SMALL |
| 6Y | Big Kid / Youth | 9.50 | 24.1 | SMALL |
| 6.5Y | Big Kid / Youth | 9.67 | 24.6 | SMALL |
| 7Y | Big Kid / Youth | 9.83 | 25.0 | SMALL |
The recommendation always matches the Insole Size cell of the highlighted row. When a measurement falls between two sizes, the tool rounds up to the larger size to allow for growth.
Category names are not standardized. Retailers variously use Toddler, Little Kid, Big Kid, Grade School, Preschool, Youth, and letter codes such as C, K, T and Y, and they do not always draw the boundaries in the same place. This chart uses Toddler for sizes 4 to 10, Little Kid for 10.5 to 13, and Big Kid / Youth for 1Y to 7Y. Some brands also make a size 13.5 between 13 and 1Y. Always check the category label on the shoe alongside the number.
How to measure at home
- Place a sheet of paper against a wall.
- Have the child stand on it with the heel touching the wall and full weight on the foot.
- Mark the tip of the longest toe and measure from the wall edge to the mark.
- Repeat with the other foot and use the longer measurement.
Why the orange line is there
The child-size sequence ends at 13 and the youth sequence restarts at 1Y, so 1Y is a larger shoe than 13 despite the smaller number. Full explanation of the U.S. kids’ sizing system.
Questions about using this tool
Why did the finder suggest a bigger size than my child wears?
It rounds up. The tool picks the first size on the chart that is equal to or longer than the measurement you entered, so a foot that falls between two sizes resolves to the larger one. That is deliberate: children grow, and a shoe that is slightly long causes fewer problems than one that is slightly short.
Should I add extra room for growth before entering the measurement?
No. Enter the bare foot length exactly as you measured it. The chart already assumes a well-fitting shoe is longer than the foot inside it. Adding your own allowance on top of that, and then letting the tool round up as well, puts you a full size out.
Can I enter the measurement in centimetres?
Yes. Tap CM beside the input box. If you have already typed a number in inches, switching units converts it rather than clearing it.
Why does it say there is no Footminders insole for my child yet?
The smallest insole we make, KIDS SK, starts at US size 10. Below that the tool still gives you a shoe size, but it will tell you no insole is available rather than recommend one that does not fit. At that stage the priority is a shoe with room to move. Measure again in a few months.
The size it gives does not match the size my child currently wears. Which is right?
Quite possibly both. US sizing is not standardised, and two brands can label the same internal length a size apart. Treat this as a starting point and check it against the size chart for the specific shoe you are buying.
What if one foot is longer than the other?
Use the longer one. Small differences between feet are common and not usually a problem, because a shoe fitted to the shorter foot will pinch the longer one. A large difference, or one that appears suddenly, is worth raising with a doctor or podiatrist.
Related sizing and fit guides
Shoe sizes are approximate and calculated using the US increment of one third of an inch per full size. Category labels, size conversions and fit vary by brand, width and shoe shape. Always check the shoe manufacturer's chart before purchasing.
