Children's size guide

Measure the foot, not the shoe

The measurements in this chart refer to the foot, never to the insole or the outsole of the shoe.

It takes two minutes and you only need things you already have at home: a sheet of paper, a pencil and a ruler.

  • Put the sheet of paper on the floor, right up against a wall.
  • Place the foot on it, with the heel touching the wall and the foot completely flat. It's best done standing up, with the weight spread evenly across both feet.
  • Mark on the paper where the longest toe ends. It isn't always the big toe.
  • Take the foot away and use the ruler to measure from the edge of the paper to the mark. That distance, in centimetres, is the foot length.
  • Do the same with the other foot and go by the larger measurement.

Measure at the end of the day, when the foot is at its largest, and with bare feet.

Size chart · children's footwear
Foot length EU UK US
10.8 - 11.5 cm 18 2.5 3-3.5
11.6 - 12.1 cm 19 3 4-4.5
12.2 - 12.7 cm 20 3.5 5
12.8 - 13.4 cm 21 4.5 5.5
13.5 - 14.1 cm 22 5 6-6.5
14.2 - 14.7 cm 23 6 7-7.5
14.8 - 15.4 cm 24 7 8-8.5
15.5 - 16.1 cm 25 8 9
16.2 - 16.7 cm 26 8.5 9.5
16.8 - 17.4 cm 27 9 10-10.5
17.5 - 18.1 cm 28 10 11-11.5
18.2 - 18.7 cm 29 11 12-12.5
18.8 - 19.4 cm 30 12 13
19.5 - 20.1 cm 31 12.5 13.5
20.2 - 20.8 cm 32 13 1-1.5
20.9 - 21.5 cm 33 1 2-2.5
21.6 - 22.1 cm 34 2 3
22.2 - 22.8 cm 35 3 3.5
22.9 - 23.5 cm 36 3.5 4-4.5
23.6 - 24.1 cm 37 4 5-5.5
24.2 - 24.8 cm 38 5 6
24.9 - 25.5 cm 39 6 7
25.6 - 26.2 cm 40 6.5-7 8
26.3 - 27 cm 41 7.5 9

How to read the chart

Find the centimetre range in the first column that your measurement falls into. The size for that foot is the one in the EU column of the same row.

The ranges don't overlap: each measurement falls into one row only. If your measurement is exactly at the top end of a range (18.1 cm, for example), the size is the one for that range: 28.

The UK and US columns are approximate equivalents, useful if you're used to buying shoes in another sizing system. The reliable reference is the centimetre.

This guide covers sizes 18 to 41, which is as far as the children's footwear goes. If the model you're interested in is from the adult line, its chart is in the adult size guide; if it's from the barefoot line, in the barefoot size guide. Each of the three has its own ranges because each is built on a different last, so the guide is set by the model, not by the size.

Questions about choosing a size

Should I add a centimetre when choosing the size?

No. The chart is based on the measurement of the bare foot, so simply look up the measurement you've taken, exactly as it is. Adding centimetres yourself leads to a size too big, and in a loose shoe the foot moves around inside and can rub.
Do I measure the foot or the insole of the shoe?

The foot. Neither the insole nor the outsole is a reliable reference: both are larger than the foot that goes inside, and measuring them leads to a size bigger than the one needed.
Each foot gives a different measurement. Which one do I go by?

The larger of the two. It's normal for one foot to be slightly longer than the other, and the size is always chosen by the longer one.
How often should I measure again?

Children's feet don't grow at a steady pace, so it's worth checking every few months. A simple check: with the foot flat inside the shoe, there should be some space in front of the longest toe. When there's no space left, it's time to measure again and move up to the next size.
What if the model is from the barefoot line?

Then the chart to use is the one in the barefoot size guide. It's a different last and its centimetre ranges aren't identical to the ones in this chart, so compare your measurement against that one.
This size also appears in the adult guide. Which one should I check?

The one for the line of the model you're interested in. Children's footwear goes up to size 41 and the adult line starts at 36, so between those sizes the two guides overlap. They're different lasts and each chart is built on its own, which is why the equivalents don't match. In both, the reference is the centimetre.