Kids’ clothes sizes by height

An “age 5–6” label is really a height. UK shops cut children’s clothes to a height range and print the age as a shortcut.

Checked against UK retailer charts on 18 October 2026.

Height for each age label

Boden's heights go up in 6 cm steps, and John Lewis uses the same heights for its single-age sizes (92 cm at 2 years, 98 cm at 3, up to 164 cm at 14). So the key number to know is your child's height.

Dual ages vs single ages

Some shops use dual labels ("5–6 years"), some single ("6 years"). John Lewis's "6 years" is cut for 116 cm, the same as Boden's "5–6". Boden itself uses single ages on fit-critical styles and dual ages where there's wiggle room. If a single-age size feels small, that's usually why.

How to measure

• Height: shoes off, back to a wall, heels together, from floor to top of head.
• Chest: around the fullest part, under the arms.
• Waist: around the natural waistline. Boden's tip: get them to tip sideways like a teapot and it's where they bend.
• Hip: around the fullest part of the bottom.

Between sizes

Go by height for length, then chest for tops and waist for bottoms. A child who is tall but slim may need the bigger size for length and an adjustable waist. Boden adds adjustable waistbands to its clothes for exactly this reason.

Is my child tall or short for their age?

Shop charts aren't growth charts. To see how your child's height compares with other children their age, use the UK-WHO growth charts in their Red Book, published by the RCPCH. Talk to your health visitor or GP if you're worried about growth.

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