Grade school sizing in shoes is sneaker sizes initially used by well-known brands like Nike and Jordans to differentiate between children’s sneaker sizes. GS or grade school sizing helps parents find the correct size shoe for kids going to grade school.
However, brands, models, and gender-specific shoes vary in how manufacturers label the shoe sizes. To make it easy for parents, we explain what grade school sizing in shoes is and how it compares with other sizing acronyms.
How Does Age Group Work In Shoe Sizing?
Nike, Jordans, and other brands group children shoe sizes in three age groups ranging from toddler, preschool, kindergarten through to grade school.
- TD are shoe sizes for one-year-old to three-year-old toddlers. Infant and toddler shoe sizes range from 2C to 10C.
- PS are shoes for kids in preschool, three to five years old. Preschool shoe sizes range from US 10.5C to 3Y.
- GS is for children in grade school with ages ranging from 6 years and older. Shoe sizes range from US 3.5Y to 7Y.
Grade School Shoe Sizes Explained
GS is the abbreviation for Grade School in shoe sizes. It gets confusing because it’s the exact same size as Y – which stands for youth.
So remember: GS and Y are interchangeable in shoe sizing. You can look here for more on what GS means in shoes.
What Are Y Sizes? Is it the same as C sizes?
No, Y sizes fit bigger feet than C sizes. Y sizes, C sizes, and K sizes identify shoe sizes for children ranging from infant, kindergarten through grade school. Y stands for Youth and coincides with grade school shoe sizing. C stands for child and K for kids; they are the same shoe sizes than TD and PS. For example, a 10C is smaller than a 1Y.
What About Girls Grade School Sizes?
The good news is, grade school sizing is unisex. Boys and girls share the same grade school and youth sizing. Once you grow beyond a 7Y, the continuation in sizing is men’s. As an example, &Y steps next into a 7.5 Men’s.
Is GS 7Y The Same As 7C?
No, US GS 7Y is not the same as 7C. Youth (Y) size shoes from 3.5Y to 7Y coincide with grade school size shoes. A GS 7Y is a standard shoe size for older children between 11 and 13 years old.
Child (C) size shoes fit toddlers and preschoolers. A 7C size shoe is a standard shoe size for a toddler 18 months to 2 years old.
Youth sizes aren’t always the same size as grade school shoes. For example, 1Y-2Y fit kids 9-10 years old and are smaller than the smallest GS size shoe.
Are GS Sneakers Only Unisex Sizes?
While the sizes are unisex, that doesn’t mean the shoe styles are unisex. Often the designs are different, yet share the same sizing.
Some GS sneaker models are unisex, but others differentiate between boys’ grade and girls’ grade school sizing. Boys’ and girls’ feet shapes and sizes are similar up to about 12 years old. They can easily wear unisex style and size shoes.
What Are GG and BG Grade School Shoes
Although most kids can wear unisex size shoes, some grade school style designs are specific for boys’ grade or grade school girls’ shoes. These sneakers have GG or BG labels. GG means girls’ grade school shoes, and BG means boys’ grade school shoes.
GS Shoe Size Chart And International Conversion Chart
The GS shoe size chart will assist parents in finding the correct size GS shoe that coincides with their child’s current shoe size. Likewise, an international conversion chart helps convert US shoe sizes to UK, Mexican, Japanese, and other global shoe sizing systems.
