How to Measure your Child's Feet for the Right Shoe Size
No matter whether they’re out playing soccer or baseball, running in trainers or getting dressed up ready for school - making sure your kids have the right size shoes is so important.
It offers support and lets them explore the world at their own pace, whilst poorly-fitted shoes can be uncomfortable and may have an impact on foot health in the future.
Even if your child’s feet haven’t grown, they might need new shoes, as shoes lose support and cushioning with wear and tear.
Here’s my guide and tips for making sure you’re taking the right steps to accurate foot-measurements.
Why measuring children´s feet matters
Regular foot measurement matters for several physiological and practical reasons:
Prevention of Permanent Deformities
-
Malleable Bones: Growing feet easily mold to the shape of restrictive footwear.
-
Toe Misalignment: Tight shoes can cause permanent toe deformities like hallux valgus
(bunion deformity). -
Nail Damage: Constant pressure on the front of the foot frequently causes painful ingrown toenails.
Support for Healthy Physical Development
-
Natural Alignment: Correctly sized shoes promote healthy bone and arch development.
-
Gait and Balance: Ill-fitting footwear compromises balance, coordination and the development of
a normal walking pattern. -
Active Play: Comfortable shoes prevent blisters and cramping, encouraging children to remain physically active.
Unreliability of Shoe Box Sizes
-
No Standardization: A size 26 from one brand can easily be a size 28 in another.
-
Inaccurate Labeling: Studies show that up to 86% of children's shoes have inner lengths shorter than
the size stated on the box. -
Growth Tracking: Toddlers grow about half a size every two months, requiring check-ups every
6 to 8 weeks.
How often to measure
You should measure your child's feet every 6 to 8 weeks for toddlers and every 3 to 6 months for school-aged children to keep up with unpredictable growth spurts. Children rarely notice or complain when their shoes are too tight because their foot bones are soft, malleable, and have underdeveloped nerve sensitivity.
Measurement Frequency by Age
How often you need to check depends heavily on your child's developmental stage:
-
Infants & Toddlers (1–3 years): Measure every 6 to 8 weeks. Toddler feet grow incredibly fast -
up to two to three shoe sizes a year. Brands like Stride Rite and Clarks recommend checking every
2 months during this hyper-growth phase.
-
Preschoolers (3–5 years): Measure every 3 to 4 months. Growth slows slightly but remains highly irregular, averaging about two sizes per year.
-
School-Aged Kids (6–10 years): Measure every 4 to 6 months. Foot growth typically slows to roughly one size per year during this period.
-
Tweens & Teens (11+ years): Measure every 6 months. Early puberty triggers a final major growth surge where feet rapidly reach about 90% of their adult size.
Essential Tips for Best Accuracy
-
Measure late in the day: Kids' feet naturally swell after hours of running and jumping.
Have your child stand naturally with their full weight on the feet. Measure both feet and use the measurement of the larger foot. Sizing them in the afternoon or evening prevents buying shoes that
end up too tight by the next day.
-
Check the insoles: If the shoes have removable insoles, pull them out and have your child stand on them. Ensure there is a thumb’s width of space (about half an inch) between their longest toe and the front tip.
-
Look for physical signs: Red marks, blisters or sudden requests to take shoes off are immediate signs that a growth spurt has occurred.
Foot measurement at Home
There are a few techniques for measuring kids´feet. It can be as simple as using a pen and paper,
or a foot ruler if you have one to hand. Don’t forget to measure both feet as they can have a size difference and always go with the larger when choosing new shoes.
What you need / Step-by-Step Foot-Measurement
You’ll need : A pen or pencil, a ruler and a piece of A4 paper.
1. Place the paper sheet on the floor and ask your child to stand on it.
2. Trace around the outline of each foot with the pen or pencil, "watching out for tickly spots". ;)
3. Take your ruler and measure between the longest toe and the heel.
If the feet are different sizes then take the longest measurement.
4. Your child´s toes want a bit of wiggle room, so please add about 0.5 inches.
Important: Don’t be tempted to size up to avoid having to buy new shoes as your child grows.
Shoes that are too large can become a trip hazard or can make them struggle to walk.
Find the Correct Size / Kids' Shoe Size Chart
Attached, you´ll find a printable shoe-size finder. Keep in mind - Shoe sizes can vary between brands and styles. This chart is a sizing guide, not a guarantee of shoe fit. When possible, always check the shoe manufacturer's size guide or try the shoes on.
Click Image to Open!
How to print the shoe size chart correctly:
-
Download the PDF and open it in a PDF reader (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader).
-
Select US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) paper.
-
In the printer settings, choose “Actual Size” / “100%”.
-
Do NOT choose “Fit to Page,” “Shrink to Fit,” “Scale to Fit,” or similar options.
-
Make sure your printer is not set to scale the document up or down.
-
Print the chart on one single sheet of paper.
-
Before measuring your child's foot, use the accuracy-check box on the chart. Measure it with a ruler to make sure it has the stated dimensions.
-
If the accuracy check is correct, you're ready to measure! 👣
Kids' Standard Width Equivalents:
An overview of different Kids' Foot -Shapes and their Shoe-Equivalent.
Kids' Shoe Size Converters
Shoe size converter for 0-2 years old babies
Shoe size converter for toddlers age 2 - 4
Shoe size converter for Kids age 4 - 13
Shoe size converter for teenagers age 13 - 16
Please keep in mind that these data are not representative!
The age ranges on a shoe chart can only ever be a rough guide because children's feet grow at very different rates. The foot length and actual fit should always take priority over age or the printed shoe size.
How quickly do kids' feet grow?
Children's feet grow at different rates, so there isn't a reliable schedule that applies to every child. Growth tends to be fastest during the early years and becomes more gradual as children get older. Regularly measuring your child's feet is more reliable than predicting when they will need the next shoe size.
From five years onwards it can be difficult to predict the size increases, but by the time girls get to 14 and boys get to 16, it’s common for their foot growth to stop, although sometimes it can be as late as 20-21 years old.
Wide fit shoes for kids
Just like adults, children can have wide feet, but you can check this with the measuring techniques from earlier. Use the drawing of the foot and measure diagonally from the ball joint of the little toe, along to the big toe. When you’re looking at the dimensions of the shoes you’re buying, be sure to check the width is right for your child.
Children´s feet sizes: Frequently asked Questions
How to tell if your kids' shoes are too small?
Aside from your child telling you they feel too small or are difficult to get on, there are a few things you can look out for to check if your kids’ shoes are too small. Look out for indents on their feet where their shoes have pushed against them, there might also be blisters. Pain in the knees, hips, back or lower joints can be a tell-tale sign, as can your child refusing to put them on.
How to tell if your kids' shoes are too big?
Wearing shoes that are too big can be just as damaging and uncomfortable as too small, and can lead to twisted ankles. They can cause blisters, make your child walk differently or drag their feet along the floor.
Keep an eye out for their heels lifting out of the shoes as they take each step, or if they trip frequently without any obstacles in their way.
Should I buy a size bigger to allow for growth?
Buying shoes that are far too big can cause problems for a child, make them unstable or even have an impact on their gait later in life. Buying their current size is important, but there should be a little bit of room left for wiggly toes.
Newly bought kids' shoes should have roughly 0.5 inches (1.2 to 1.5 cm) of space beyond the longest toe.
This will give them some growing room, too.
Summary:
Measuring your kids’ feet at home is simple but makes all the difference to your little one’s comfort and foot health, even into adulthood. It doesn’t need to be complicated, you just need a pen, paper and ruler and you’re ready to go.
For more questions and answers around children´s foot development and children´s shoes, please also visit the FAQ page!