How Do Kids Shoe Sizes Work? Chart and Measuring Tips

Proper foot measurements are crucial to insuring you get the right shoe size for your little one! There are lots of ways to measure little feet, but the easiest way is to get a Foot Ruler. If you don’t have time to wait for one to come in or rather not buy one, the methods below are the next best things!

 Here’s a list of what you will need for the other measuring options:

1. Blank piece of paper
2. Pen or pencil
3. Ruler

Please note that all of these measuring options work best after everyone has been up and running around as our feet tend to measure a bit smaller than usual when we first get up in the morning.

Basic Measurement

1. Place the edge of your piece of paper flush with the wall.
2. Have your child stand on the paper with the back of their heel touching the wall. Both feet should be squared with their full body weight resting equally on them.
3. Draw a line where the longest toe ends. Do the same for the other foot. They can now step off the paper.
4. Measure the distance between the end of the paper and the line drawn.
5. Take the longest measurement of both feet and add 1cm to the actual length to find the size that will give their toes a little wiggle room.

Footprint Tracing Measurement

While similar to the previous option, this one may suit you better if your child has wide feet.

1. Have your child stand on the paper with both feet and make sure their weight is balanced between the two.
2. Keeping your pen or pencil straight up and down, trace the outline of both feet.
3. Now take the paper and make parallel lines for the back of the heel and the longest toe on each foot. Measure the distance between the lines.
4. Take the longest measurement of both feet and add 1cm to the length to find the size that will give their toes a little wiggle room.

If you do get a Foot Ruler, be sure to put it on the floor and follow the same rules as above about waiting until the afternoon and having them stand with their weight balanced between both feet.

Sadly, shoe sizes here in the USA don’t follow exact measurements so here is a chart to help you convert the measurements from your ruler to the standard shoe sizes. Keep in mind that the Inches and cm are referring to foot length, not the length of the bottom of the shoe.