Kids' Shoe Size Conversion

Kids' shoe size chart

Every row is one catalog size, aligned across the four systems. The centimetre column is the foot length to measure against, since a number alone will not tell you if a shoe fits.

The US kids scale restarts at 1

Read down the US column and it climbs to 13, 13.5, then drops back to 1. That is not an error. American children's sizing runs a "little kid" range up to 13.5 and then starts a "big kid" range again at 1, so a US 1 is one step above a US 13.5, not far below it. In our catalog that turn happens around EU 34, where a US 13.5 becomes a US 1. The EU and centimetre columns climb straight through, which is why measuring in centimetres avoids the trap entirely.

Leave 12 to 17 mm of growing room

A child's shoe is not fitted to the foot. It needs space in front of the longest toe so the foot can roll and grow. Austrian foot research sets the window at a minimum of 12 mm and a maximum of 17 mm: below 12 mm the toes press the end within weeks, above 17 mm the shoe is too loose to walk in safely. The German WMS system used by specialist children's shops builds 9 to 15 mm of room into the shoe and certifies width as well as length. Either way, add the allowance to the measured foot, then buy to that inside length.

Most children's shoes are mislabelled

A 2018 survey of 1,898 children's shoes found 86 percent measured shorter inside than their printed size, some by up to four sizes, so a shoe stamped EU 30 can measure around a 28 inside. That is why a converted number is a starting point, not a guarantee. Check the actual inside length against the foot plus its growing room. The full method is in the kids' shoe fit guide.

Remeasure every three to four months

Because young feet lengthen about 1.5 mm a month up to age three, and around 1 mm a month from three to six, a shoe bought with the maximum sensible room lasts only about five months at the fastest stage. Both the Austrian research and the German WMS scheme advise remeasuring every three to four months rather than waiting for complaints, since children rarely report a shoe that has grown too tight. Typical foot length by age is set out in the kids' shoe size by age guide.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the US kids scale go 13 then 1?

Because it splits into a little-kid range that ends at 13.5 and a big-kid range that starts again at 1. A US 1 is the size just above a US 13.5. Convert in centimetres or EU to avoid reading the restart as a drop.

What is EU 30 in US kids?

EU 30 is a US 11.5 in our catalog, built on an 18.5 cm foot. See the full EU to US kids chart for every size.

Can I trust the size on the box?

Use it to get close, then check. With most children's shoes measuring shorter inside than their label, the reliable step is to measure the foot, add 12 to 17 mm, and confirm the shoe's inside length reaches that number.

Learn more: how to check kids' shoes fit, shoe size by age, and the printable foot measuring sheet.