Kids Shoe Size by Age Guide (UK, US & EU)

Q: What shoe size is a 5-year-old?

The average shoe size for a 5-year-old is UK 9-10 (US 10-11, EU 27-28) with a foot length of about 18-19cm.

Find the average children's shoe size by age, from newborn through to age 12. UK, US and EU sizes with foot length in cm and expert guidance on how fast children's feet grow.

Related: 🗡 All Kids Sizes 🇺🇸 UK to US 🇪🇺 EU to UK 📅 By Age 📐 Calculator

Kids shoe size by age — what to expect

Children's feet grow fast, especially in the first three years. Under age 3, feet can grow 2 full sizes per year. From age 3–6, growth slows to about 1–1.5 sizes per year, and from age 6 onwards, roughly 1 size per year. These are averages — children of the same age can differ by 2–3 sizes, so always measure before buying.

💡 Most important rule: Never buy by age alone. A UK 9 worn by an average 5-year-old might fit your child at age 4 or age 7. Measure every 8–12 weeks for children under 5, and every 3–4 months for older children.

Complete kids shoe size by age chart

Age	UK Size	US Size	EU Size	Foot (cm)
Newborn	UK 0	US 1	EU 15–16	9–10
0–3 months	UK 0–1	US 1–2	EU 15–17	9–10.5
3–6 months	UK 1–2	US 2–3	EU 17–19	10.5–11.5
6–9 months	UK 2	US 3	EU 18–19	11.5
9–12 months	UK 3	US 4	EU 19–20	12.5
12–18 months	UK 4	US 5	EU 20–21	13.5
18–24 months	UK 5	US 6	EU 22	14.5
2 years	UK 5–6	US 6–7	EU 22–23	14.5–15.5
3 years	UK 7–8	US 8–9	EU 24–26	16.5–17
4 years	UK 8–9	US 9–10	EU 26–27	17–18
5 years	UK 9–10	US 10–11	EU 27–29	18–19
6 years	UK 10–11	US 11–12	EU 28–30	19–20
7 years	UK 11–12	US 12–13	EU 29–31	20–20.5
8 years	UK 12–13	US 13–1Y	EU 30–32	20.5–21
9 years	UK 13–1J	US 1Y–2Y	EU 31–33	21–22
10 years	UK 1J–2J	US 2Y–3Y	EU 33–34	22–22.5
11 years	UK 2J–3J	US 3Y–4Y	EU 34–36	22.5–23
12+ years	UK 3J–5J	US 4Y–6Y	EU 35–38	23–24.5

How fast do children's feet grow?

Children's feet grow much faster than most parents expect. Here's what to plan for when buying shoes:

Under 1 year: Up to 3–4 sizes per year — feet grow every few months
Age 1–3: Approximately 2 sizes per year — check every 6–8 weeks
Age 3–6: Approximately 1.5 sizes per year — check every 2–3 months
Age 6–10: Approximately 1 size per year — check every 3–4 months
Age 10–14: Growth varies widely — girls often slow, boys often accelerate

The biggest mistake parents make is leaving too long between checks. A shoe that fit perfectly at the start of the school year can be genuinely too small by Christmas — causing blisters, toe deformity and posture problems.

What is the average shoe size for a 5-year-old?

The average UK shoe size for a 5-year-old is UK 9–10 (US 10–11, EU 27–28), with a foot length of around 18–19cm. However, this varies considerably — some 5-year-olds are already in a UK 11, while others are still in a UK 8. Always measure rather than buying to age.

Frequently asked questions

What shoe size is a 3-year-old?

The average shoe size for a 3-year-old is UK 7–8 (US 8–9, EU 24–26) with a foot length of about 16.5–17cm. But children's foot size varies significantly at this age — always measure.

What shoe size is a 4-year-old?

The average shoe size for a 4-year-old is UK 8–9 (US 9–10, EU 26–27) with a foot length of about 17–18cm.

What shoe size is a 7-year-old?

The average shoe size for a 7-year-old is UK 11–12 (US 12–13, EU 29–31) with a foot length of about 20–20.5cm.

What shoe size is a 10-year-old?

The average shoe size for a 10-year-old is UK 1J–2J (US 2Y–3Y, EU 33–34) with a foot length of about 22–22.5cm. At this age, children may begin transitioning toward adult sizes.

How often should I measure my child's feet?

Under age 3: every 6–8 weeks. Ages 3–6: every 2–3 months. Ages 6–10: every 3–4 months. Over 10: every 4–6 months. Never skip a season without checking — shoes that fit in September can be too small by December.