A size 12 isn't the same everywhere — and unlike toddler sizes, most brands cut it differently for girls and boys. Here's where the brands on Little & Youth land with each, taken straight from every brand's own published size chart.
38 brands on Little & Youth publish a girls' size 12. Grouped by where each brand's published height range sits.
The bands shift to the right as brands cut a girls' 12 for taller kids.
These brands cut their size 12 a little smaller — the whole range sits lower — so it fits a slightly shorter or leaner kid. Worth a look if your child runs small for their age.
H&M Kids.
These brands land right in the most common range, about 55–58" — the way most brands cut a size 12.
Justice, Walmart Wonder Nation, Bombas Kids, Champion Kids, Children's Place, Columbia Kids, Crocs Kids, L.L. Bean Kids, Skechers Kids, Stride Rite, The North Face Kids, Vans Kids, Brooks Brothers Kids, Carter's, French Toast, Gymboree, Little Planet by Carter's, Mini Mioche, Target Cat & Jack, Calvin Klein Kids, Polo Ralph Lauren Kids, Appaman, Fabletics, Primary, and Tea Collection.
These brands cut their size 12 a little bigger — the whole range sits higher — so it fits a taller kid, and it often lasts longer before it's outgrown. Worth a look if your child runs tall.
Eddie Bauer, Kohl's Jumping Beans, JCPenney Thereabouts, Levi's Kids, Macy's Epic Threads, Lee Jeans, OshKosh B'gosh, Gap Kids, Garnet Hill, Old Navy, Lands' End Kids, and Converse Kids.
| Brand | Girls' 12 fits | How it runs |
|---|---|---|
| H&M Kids | 55–57" | Shorter |
| Justice | 55½–57½" | Typical |
| Walmart Wonder Nation | 55½–57½" | Typical |
| Bombas Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Champion Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Children's Place | 55–58" | Typical |
| Columbia Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Crocs Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| L.L. Bean Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Skechers Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Stride Rite | 55–58" | Typical |
| The North Face Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Vans Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Brooks Brothers Kids | 55½–58" | Typical |
| Carter's | 56–58" | Typical |
| French Toast | 56–58" | Typical |
| Gymboree | 56–58" | Typical |
| Little Planet by Carter's | 56–58" | Typical |
| Mini Mioche | 56–58" | Typical |
| Target Cat & Jack | 56–58" | Typical |
| Eddie Bauer | 58–58" | Longer |
| Calvin Klein Kids | 56–58½" | Typical |
| Polo Ralph Lauren Kids | 56½–58½" | Typical |
| Appaman | 55–59" | Typical |
| Fabletics | 56–59" | Typical |
| Primary | 56–59" | Typical |
| Tea Collection | 56–59" | Typical |
| Kohl's Jumping Beans | 56½–59" | Longer |
| JCPenney Thereabouts | 57–59" | Longer |
| Levi's Kids | 57–59" | Longer |
| Macy's Epic Threads | 57–59" | Longer |
| Lee Jeans | 56½–59½" | Longer |
| OshKosh B'gosh | 56–60" | Longer |
| Gap Kids | 57–60" | Longer |
| Garnet Hill | 57–60" | Longer |
| Old Navy | 57–60" | Longer |
| Lands' End Kids | 58–60" | Longer |
| Converse Kids | 58–61" | Longer |
38 brands on Little & Youth publish a boys' size 12. Grouped by where each brand's published height range sits.
The bands shift to the right as brands cut a boys' 12 for taller kids.
These brands cut their size 12 a little smaller — the whole range sits lower — so it fits a slightly shorter or leaner kid. Worth a look if your child runs small for their age.
Converse Kids and H&M Kids.
These brands land right in the most common range, about 56–58" — the way most brands cut a size 12.
Original Penguin Junior, Bombas Kids, Brooks Brothers Kids, Champion Kids, Columbia Kids, Crocs Kids, L.L. Bean Kids, Skechers Kids, Stride Rite, The North Face Kids, Vans Kids, Kohl's Jumping Beans, Carter's, Gymboree, Little Planet by Carter's, Mini Mioche, Walmart Wonder Nation, Children's Place, French Toast, Polo Ralph Lauren Kids, Appaman, Calvin Klein Kids, Fabletics, Primary, and Tea Collection.
These brands cut their size 12 a little bigger — the whole range sits higher — so it fits a taller kid, and it often lasts longer before it's outgrown. Worth a look if your child runs tall.
Eddie Bauer, JCPenney Thereabouts, Lands' End Kids, Levi's Kids, Target Cat & Jack, Macy's Epic Threads, OshKosh B'gosh, Gap Kids, Garnet Hill, Lee Jeans, and Old Navy.
| Brand | Boys' 12 fits | How it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Converse Kids | 54–57" | Shorter |
| H&M Kids | 55–57" | Shorter |
| Original Penguin Junior | 56–57½" | Typical |
| Bombas Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Brooks Brothers Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Champion Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Columbia Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Crocs Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| L.L. Bean Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Skechers Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Stride Rite | 55–58" | Typical |
| The North Face Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Vans Kids | 55–58" | Typical |
| Kohl's Jumping Beans | 55½–58" | Typical |
| Carter's | 56–58" | Typical |
| Gymboree | 56–58" | Typical |
| Little Planet by Carter's | 56–58" | Typical |
| Mini Mioche | 56–58" | Typical |
| Walmart Wonder Nation | 56–58" | Typical |
| Children's Place | 55½–58½" | Typical |
| French Toast | 56–58½" | Typical |
| Polo Ralph Lauren Kids | 56½–58½" | Typical |
| Eddie Bauer | 58½–58½" | Longer |
| Appaman | 55–59" | Typical |
| Calvin Klein Kids | 56–59" | Typical |
| Fabletics | 56–59" | Typical |
| Primary | 56–59" | Typical |
| Tea Collection | 56–59" | Typical |
| JCPenney Thereabouts | 57–59" | Longer |
| Lands' End Kids | 57–59" | Longer |
| Levi's Kids | 57–59" | Longer |
| Target Cat & Jack | 56–59½" | Longer |
| Macy's Epic Threads | 57–59½" | Longer |
| OshKosh B'gosh | 56–60" | Longer |
| Gap Kids | 57–60" | Longer |
| Garnet Hill | 57–60" | Longer |
| Lee Jeans | 57–60" | Longer |
| Old Navy | 57–60" | Longer |
It depends on the brand and whether it's cut for a girl or a boy. A girls' size 12 runs bigger at Converse Kids, Lands' End Kids, and Old Navy and smaller at H&M Kids, Bombas Kids, and Champion Kids. A boys' size 12 runs bigger at Old Navy, Lee Jeans, and Garnet Hill and smaller at Converse Kids, H&M Kids, and Bombas Kids. Most brands land in between.
Not always. Many brands publish one unisex size 12, but brands that split them cut the two a little differently — a girls' 12 typically fits about 55–58" and a boys' 12 about 56–58". If a brand offers both, check the one that matches your child.
At most brands, a size 12 fits a child roughly 55–58" (girls) or 56–58" (boys) tall. Because height is what actually determines fit, it's worth checking your child's height against the specific brand's size 12 rather than going by age.
A size 12 is designed with 12-year-olds in mind, but age is only a rough guide. Because it's built around height and build, plenty of kids wear a size 12 a year earlier or later than the label suggests — checking height against a specific brand's chart is far more reliable.
After a size 12, most brands move to a size 14. Sizing can shift noticeably at that step, so it's worth checking the next size's height range rather than assuming it picks up where size 12 left off.
Enter your child's measurements once and Little & Youth shows the size to buy across all 90+ brands on the site — girls' or boys', size 12 or otherwise — each pulled from that brand's own published chart.
Find your child's size →