“5T” is a size designation used by many shoe manufacturers. It stands for “5th grade”, which is a size that falls between 4th and 6th grades. So when you see a shoe label that says “5T”, it means that the shoe was designed to fit all kids whose feet are between 4th grade (size 8) and 6th grade (size 10).

In comparison, “Size 5” refers to the actual length and width of your child’s foot. For example, if your child has a narrow foot that measures three inches across in length then he or she will wear a size 5 shoe.

So what does this mean for you? If your child has a narrow foot and wears a size 5 shoe then he or she probably needs a 5T shoe because most of the time they won’t fit in a regular size 4 or 6 shoe which tend to be wider than these smaller sizes.

Last modified: August 3, 2022