Vans Kids
Here’s how Vans Kids fits your child compared to other brands you might be considering, so you know before it’s in your cart.
Find your child’s size in Vans Kids
Enter your child’s measurements once — we’ll size them in Vans Kids and at 100+ other brands, each from that brand’s own published chart. Height and weight are required; add chest, waist, hips and inseam to sharpen the fit.
Your child wears one size in Vans Kids. What should you buy elsewhere?
Pick the size your child wears at Vans Kids to see which brands have the same label and measurements (twins) and which run shorter or longer (strangers) — based on each brand’s own chart.
Show the full cross-brand table (every size)
Sizes shown use Vans Kids’ girls’/unisex chart where the brand splits by gender; boys’ sizes at the same number can run slightly taller.
In short
Where the number just works. At 2/T, Vans Kids lines up with every brand we track — the size carries straight over.
Where labels drift. The exceptions are the “strangers” above — e.g. at size S, Nautica, Tea Collection, Amazon Essentials Kids cut the same number differently. Check those before you trust the label.
Bottom line: for most sizes, a Vans Kids number is a safe bet elsewhere — measure once, then double-check only the handful of “stranger” brands above.
Curious about a size that isn’t your child’s here? Every size, compared across every brand, lives here: Browse all size comparisons →
Vans Kids makes shoes, too — see how it and every other kids’ shoe brand runs (true, big, or small) and how wide each is cut: Compare kids’ shoe sizing →
Fit & the transitions that trip parents up
Vans Kids-specific things the size number alone won’t tell you — drawn from its own charts.
Boys and girls are charted separately
Vans charts its kids’ apparel by gender, on two label forms — plain S–XL and a number-plus-letter pair (like 4/S).
Little apparel fit feedback — size by the chart
Almost all fit discussion for Vans kids is about the shoes, not the clothing, so size the apparel to the published chart; the shoe fit is covered in the footwear review.
Specialty & inclusive fits
Which trimmer, roomier, or adaptive cuts Vans Kids publishes alongside its standard sizes.
What shoppers say about the fit
Community consensus
Shopper opinion · not Little & Youth’s measurementThis is what parents report anecdotally — crowd sentiment, not a Little & Youth determination. Our sizing above is computed from Vans Kids’ own published chart; the notes here come from public parent discussion.
Vans kids’ clothing fit is barely discussed — almost all parent fit talk is about the shoes. The lace-up Old Skool and Slip-On run small and narrow, but that is footwear, not clothing. For the apparel there is no clear crowd verdict, so size by Vans’ published chart.
Based on anecdotal discussion from multiple publicly available online sources; your experience may differ.
Should you buy Vans Kids?
Consider it if…
- You want the skate-classic look in a kid’s size — Old Skool, Slip-On and Authentic are what tweens ask for.
- You have a wide-footed toddler — parents say the velcro Old Skool V fits wide, flat toddler feet well without a W width.
- You want a shoe that outlasts the school year — durability is the most common praise, with parents rebuying for years.
Think twice if…
- Your kid has wide feet or a high instep and you want the Slip-On — the elastic opening is the number-one complaint; many couldn’t get a foot in.
- You need a flexible first-walker shoe — the sole is stiff and thick, which parents say isn’t ideal for new walkers.
- You’re ordering lace-up Old Skools in the measured size — expect a tight fit, heel rubbing and a size-up exchange.
Skip the cross-referencing — let Little & Youth do it.
Enter your child’s measurements once. We’ll show their Vans Kids size and their size at 100+ other brands, each from that brand’s own chart.
Find my child’s size →Shop Vans Kids ↗A few things parents ask that the chart won’t tell you
Do Vans kids shoes run big or small?
It depends on the style. Parents consistently say the lace-up Old Skool and Classic Slip-On run small and narrow — go up a half size. The toddler velcro Old Skool V runs true and a bit roomy, and a few parents sized down.
Are Vans good for kids with wide feet?
The toddler Old Skool V, yes — that’s a recurring compliment. The little-kid Slip-On, no: the opening is tight and several wide-footed kids couldn’t get it on. Vans also sells adult Wide versions, but not in kids.
Do Vans need breaking in?
Parents say yes for the lace-ups and slip-ons — the canvas is stiff and heel rubbing or blisters in the first days are common. The velcro toddler styles draw fewer break-in complaints.
What measurements do I need to size Vans Kids accurately?
Vans Kids publishes height, weight, chest, waist, hip in its size chart. Height is the primary driver, and the chest/waist figures let you confirm body fit for a child between sizes.
Do Vans Kids boys’ and girls’ sizes fit the same?
From the bigger sizes up, Vans Kids publishes separate girls’ and boys’ charts, so the same number can differ by gender. The figures on this page use Vans Kids’ girls’/unisex chart.
Where do I buy Vans Kids?
Vans Kids is sold on its own site and on Amazon, so you can pick the marketplace you prefer.