Your child turned four last month, so you order the 4-5 Years size. The parcel arrives, the shirt reaches past the knees, and the trousers need folding twice. Or the opposite happens: the sleeves stop at the elbow and the courier is already gone.
Every parent who buys clothes online has had this happen at least once, and it is almost always avoidable. The fix takes a tape measure and five minutes. This kids clothing size chart by age gives you typical measurements for every stage from newborn to fourteen years, shows you how to measure your child properly, and explains why the number on the label so often disagrees with your child's actual birthday.
The short answer
Age labels are a starting point, not a rule. Plenty of children do not fit the size matching their age, because clothing sizes are built around average height and chest measurements rather than birthdays. Before ordering:
- Measure your child's height and chest — these two decide the fit more than anything else.
- Match those numbers to the chart below, not to your child's age.
- If your child falls between two sizes, take the larger one. Children grow into clothes; they never grow back into them.
Kids clothing size chart by age: full measurements
These are typical body measurement ranges for the age bands used across Pakistani kidswear. They describe the child, not the garment — a well-made piece adds a few centimetres of ease on top so the child can actually move. Individual brands grade differently, so treat this as your starting point and check the size options listed on the product page before you order.
| Size | Height (cm) | Chest (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 Months | 55–61 | 40–43 |
| 3-6 Months | 62–67 | 43–45 |
| 6-12 Months | 68–76 | 45–48 |
| 1-2 Years | 77–88 | 48–51 |
| 2-3 Years | 89–96 | 51–53 |
| 3-4 Years | 97–104 | 53–55 |
| 4-5 Years | 105–110 | 55–57 |
| 5-6 Years | 111–116 | 57–59 |
| 6-7 Years | 117–121 | 59–61 |
| 7-8 Years | 122–128 | 61–64 |
| 9-10 Years | 129–140 | 64–69 |
| 11-12 Years | 141–150 | 69–75 |
| 13-14 Years | 151–160 | 75–81 |
The bands get wider as children get older. The baby sizes are only a few centimetres apart, which is why newborn sizing needs the most care, while the older bands cover a much larger spread and are correspondingly more forgiving.
One thing to watch: not every style is made in every band. Some ranges skip 6-7 Years and jump from 5-6 to 7-8, and some stop at 7-8 Years altogether. Always check which sizes a particular garment is actually offered in rather than assuming the full ladder is there.
How to measure your child at home in five minutes
You need a soft tape measure, the kind used by a darzi. If you do not have one, a piece of string and a ruler will do.
Height
Stand your child against a wall without shoes, heels touching the wall, looking straight ahead. Place a book flat on their head, mark the wall at the bottom edge of the book, then measure from the floor to the mark. For a baby who cannot stand, lay them flat and measure from the crown of the head to the heel.
Chest
Run the tape around the fullest part of the chest, under the arms, keeping it level all the way round. It should sit snug but not tight — you should be able to slip one finger underneath. Ask your child to breathe normally, not to hold their breath or puff out.
Waist
Measure around the natural waistline, roughly at the belly button. This matters for trousers, nickers and gharara sets. Keep the tape loose enough to move.
Inside leg
Measure from the top of the inner thigh down to the ankle bone. Only needed for full-length trousers, and mainly when your child is noticeably taller or shorter than average.
Write these four numbers in your phone with the date. Re-measure every three to four months for children under five, and every six months after that. It takes less time than arranging one exchange.
Why your child's age doesn't match their size
Three things are happening at once.
Children grow in bursts, not steadily. A child can shoot up over one school holiday and then barely change for months. The label assumes smooth, average growth. Real children do not read the label.
Every brand cuts differently. There is no legally enforced sizing standard for kidswear in Pakistan. One brand's 4-5 Years is another's 3-4 Years, which is why a size that fits from one seller tells you very little about the next. If you have ever wondered why two sets at similar prices fit completely differently, this is usually the reason — something we looked at in premium versus regular summer kidswear.
Body shape varies more than height. Two children of the same height can be built quite differently through the chest and shoulders. A tall, slim seven-year-old and a shorter, sturdier seven-year-old need different sizes, and neither is the "wrong" size.
The practical takeaway: treat the age on the label as a shelf marker, and the measurements as the truth.
Months or years: reading the two sizing systems
Kidswear in Pakistan uses two systems side by side, and mixing them up causes real problems.
Month sizes (0-3M, 3-6M, 6-12M) are built for babies, with allowances for nappies, wide neck openings and easy changing. They run generously in the body and short in the sleeve.
Year sizes (1-2Y upward) assume a child who walks, sits and moves independently. The cut is slimmer through the body and longer in the limb.
The handover point between the two — roughly 12 to 18 months — is where most sizing mistakes happen. If your baby is between the systems, go by height and choose the year size if they are already walking.
Sizing for different garment types
The same child can need different sizes depending on what you are buying.
- Polo shirts and t-shirts: go by chest. These are cut close, so a tight chest is the most common complaint.
- Shirt and nicker sets: go by height. Nickers are forgiving at the waist; the shirt length is what looks wrong when the size is off.
- Two piece suits and kurta sets: go by height, then check the chest. These hang loose by design, so a slightly larger size still looks correct.
- Trousers and denim: go by waist first, inside leg second. A waist that fits and a hem you turn up once beats the reverse every time.
- Frocks: go by height. Length is the whole look, and a frock that is too short cannot be fixed. We go into this in more detail for older girls in our guide to frock design for a 10 year old girl.
What this looks like at Tebeena Wears
Our sizing runs from 0-3 Months up to 13-14 Years, but no single style covers that whole span, because different garments suit different stages. Here is how it maps in practice, with the sizes we currently have in stock.
White Pirem Soft Textured Shirt & Nicker — Rs. 1,599, rising to Rs. 1,699 from 2-3 Years upward. Soft linen. In stock in 0-3M, 3-6M, 6-12M, and then 2-3Y through 5-6Y; the 1-2 Years is sold out and the range does not go past 7-8 Years. That 1-2 Years gap is worth knowing about, because it sits exactly at the month-to-year handover where parents are least sure of the size.
Black Polo Shirt — Rs. 999, in 100% cotton jersey, in stock in 1-2Y, 2-3Y, 3-4Y, 4-5Y, 5-6Y and 7-8Y. Note there is no 6-7 Years in this style. Polos are the closest-fitting thing we make, so measure the chest for this one rather than going by age.
Zaitoon Kaftan Embroidered Two Piece Set — Rs. 2,999, in stock from 2-3 Years through 11-12 Years, though without a 6-7 Years option. This is the longest continuous size run we currently have in stock, and the relaxed kaftan cut absorbs a size of error in either direction, which makes two piece sets the safest thing to buy when you are unsure.
Siyah White Embroidered Two Piece Set — Rs. 2,999, in stock from 3-4 Years through 11-12 Years. Useful for older girls, where our shirt and nicker sets stop but occasion wear continues.
Bell Bottom Jet Black Denim Pant — Rs. 1,699, denim, and the only style reaching 13-14 Years. Stock here is patchy rather than continuous: 2-3Y, 4-5Y, 5-6Y, 9-10Y and 11-12Y are available, 3-4Y, 6-7Y and 7-8Y are currently out, and 13-14Y is very limited. Check the size dropdown before planning around it.
You can browse the full range in Boys and Girls, and every product page lists its live size options so you can confirm availability before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always size up when buying kids clothes?
Not always — one size up is sensible, two is not. A garment that is two sizes too big sits badly at the shoulders and gets damaged before it fits. Size up when your child is at the top of a measurement band, or when you are buying for a season still a few months away.
How do I check the fit properly once the parcel arrives?
Try it on before removing tags. Three checks tell you almost everything: the shoulder seam should sit on the shoulder bone rather than down the arm, you should be able to pinch a little fabric at the sides, and the hem should sit where the style intends rather than dragging. If all three pass, the size is right even if the label says a different age.
Do kids clothes shrink after the first wash?
Cotton and linen can lose a little length on the first wash, though on kids sizes it is rarely enough to change your size choice. Washing cold and drying in shade rather than direct sun keeps it to a minimum. Our guide to the best kids clothing fabrics for every season goes into how different fabrics behave.
What size should I buy as a gift when I don't know the child's measurements?
Go one band above the child's age and choose a loose-cut garment — a two piece set or a kurta rather than a polo. Loose styles tolerate being slightly big and still look right, and the child grows into them rather than out of them.
What if the size I ordered doesn't fit?
Contact the seller before washing or removing tags. An unworn item with tags intact is far easier to exchange than one that has been through the wash. Photograph the item as it arrived and keep the packaging until you are sure of the fit. Our complete guide to buying kids clothing online covers what to check when a parcel arrives.
How do I plan sizes for a whole school year?
Measure now, then buy one band up on anything meant to last until spring and true-to-size on whatever you expect to replace along the way. Our back to school clothes checklist sets out how many of each item a school-going child actually needs.
Before you order
A kids clothing size chart by age is only as good as the measurements you bring to it. Measure your child's height and chest, write the numbers down, and check them against the size options on the product page rather than against their birthday. That one habit removes most of the risk from ordering online and saves you arranging an exchange after the courier has left.
If you want to put it to use now, our New Arrivals collection lists live size availability on every product, so you can match your measurements before you order.
