Half Sizes Explained: Should You Size Up or Down?
What half sizes mean for children's shoes and how to choose when your child falls between two sizes.
Many children’s shoes come in half sizes, such as 8½. In the UK system, a half size adds about 4 mm of length over the whole size below it.
Why half sizes help
Children’s feet grow in small steps. A half size gets you closer to the right length without a whole-size jump, so your child slips less and trips less.
When your child is between sizes
- Pick the larger size when the length falls in between. A little extra room beats squeezed toes.
- Skip the whole size up “to grow into”. Too much room trips children up and rubs the heel.
- Check the width. A wider fitting in the same size can fix a tight shoe better than a longer one.
What the calculator shows
The size calculator returns half sizes, for example 9.5 F. Try the next whole size up if a style has no half sizes. Check that the heel stays put and the toes have a thumb’s width of room.
Style matters
Some shoes come up larger or smaller than others. Check the fit of each new style, even when your child’s size stays the same.
