
Shoes are part of daily life. Whether you’re looking for sports shoes or casual daily footwear, you’ve gone shoe shopping at least once. For non-shoe experts, shoe terminologies can be confusing and one of those confusing words is PS.
PS in shoes means Preschool. Shoes with this label are made for little preschool kids, typically aged from three to five years old. Kids at this age have an average foot length of 6 1/2 to 8 3/8 inches from heel to toe, and that’s what PS shoes cater to.
This doesn’t mean kids this age are limited to only shoes labeled PS. Kids can choose shoes outside this label if they have smaller or bigger feet than average. Different shoe manufacturers also have their own sizing guidelines so shoe sizes aren’t always the same across all shoe brands and could vary slightly instead.
Below, we will discuss in detail what PS shoes and sizing is, touch on other related shoe terminologies, and give you tips on measuring your kid’s feet for new shoes.
What Does PS Mean In Shoes?
Shoe shopping can be fun but all the while confusing, especially if you’re not familiar with certain shoe terminologies. Shoes come in a variety of categories, sizes, designs, and even collections.
If you’re not shoe-savvy, all the words and letters written on shoes and shoe boxes can be a lot to take in and can be puzzling.
When shoe shopping, many encounter the letters PS and not many are familiar with what it actually means.
PS in shoes stands for Preschool. This simply means shoes marked or labeled as PS are shoes meant for little kids, typically aged from three to five years old.
Kids at this age have an average foot length of 6 1/2 to 8 3/8 inches from heel to toe.
Of course, PS-size shoes aren’t limited to only that age range. And your child isn’t only limited to shoes in this category only especially if they have smaller or bigger than average feet.
PS-sized shoes are convenient if you’re shopping for your kid because you’re most likely not finding the correct size in the regular size section for such small feet.
Sneaker Terminology: Other Related Shoe Words Explained
When you’re shoe shopping, PS or Preschool shoes aren’t the only confusing term you will be encountering. Below are some more shoe and sneaker terminologies closely related to it:
BC
BC in shoes stands for Baby Crib. These shoe sizes are meant for very small children and their very small feet.
TD
TD stands for Toddler. This shoe size category is when your kid’s feet have outgrown BC shoes but don’t exactly fit PS shoes just yet. This comes before the PS shoe category in the kids’ size section.
GS
GS stands for Grade School, perfect for kids six and up. When kids’ feet outgrow PS shoe sizes, they move up to GS shoes and sizes. This comes right after the PS shoe category.
GG
GG stands for Girl Grade School. This basically means the same as GS. If the letters GS are missing on the box or shoes, there might be the letters GG instead.
BG
BG stands for Boy Grade School. This is also equal to GS but if neither GS nor GG appears on the shoe, then look for the BG sign.
C
C means Child and it often appears beside the shoe size when you’re shoe shopping. This means the shoes are made for that specific age group.
Y
Y stands for Youth and this also appears alongside the shoe size. This simply states the age group the shoes fit or are made for.
PS Shoe Sizes Chart
You can find below a PS size chart you can look at when shopping for your kid’s shoes, online or in-store:
Heel-to-toe length (in inches) | US Kids | UK Kids | EU Kids |
6.49 | 10C | 9.5 | 27 |
6.75 | 10.5C | 10 | 27.5 |
6.9 | 11C | 11 | 28 |
7.1 | 11.5C | 11.5 | 28.5 |
7.25 | 12C | 12 | 29.5 |
7.4 | 12.5C | 12.5 | 30 |
7.6 | 13C | 13 | 31 |
7.75 | 13.5C | 13.5 | 31.5 |
7.9 | 1Y | 14 | 32 |
8.1 | 1.5Y | 14.5 | 33 |
8.25 | 2Y | 15 | 33.5 |
8.46 | 2.5Y | 2 | 34 |
8.6 | 3Y | 2.5 | 35 |
What we have in the table above is only for PS shoes. Other size categories like T or GS are not included to focus on PS sizes.
It’s also important to note that kids’ shoes and how a shoe fits would vary across different brands, manufacturers, and even countries. So to be on the safe side, always check the brand’s sizing chart and cross-check it with your child’s feet size.
How to Measure Your Child’s Feet and Shoe Size
Measuring a child’s feet is essential if you want to get them good-fitting shoes that won’t hurt or cause issues down the road.
We have below two ways you can try to measure your child’s feet correctly when you’re buying shoes:
Wall and ruler
For the first how-to, have your child stand against a wall, with the heels directly against it. Grab a ruler and measure from the heels to the foot’s biggest toe. The biggest toe is usually the big toe or the toe next to it.
Make sure the heels are directly against the wall. You can also have the ruler directly against the wall to make sure it doesn’t move and affect the length.
Pen and paper
For the next method to measure your kid’s feet, get two pieces of clean paper and a pen or pencil. Have your kid stand on both papers and trace their feet with a pen or pencil. From that, measure their feet to get the correct shoe size.
Tips on Finding Good-Fitting Shoes for Kids
To make sure you get the perfect size for your little one’s feet, we have some more pro tips for measuring a kid’s feet for perfectly-fitting shoes:
Measure feet in the afternoon or evening
Feet, both in adults and kids, tend to be a bit more swollen at the end of the day. Make sure the shoes you’re buying won’t end up causing pain at the end of the day. Don’t measure their feet right from the moment they wake up in the morning. Instead, wait it out until later in the afternoon or in the evening.
Have kids wear socks
If you’re buying closed shoes or shoes where kids will be wearing socks, have them wear their regular socks when trying new shoes on. This is to ensure they won’t feel too small once socks are worn.
Measure with feet flat on the ground
When measuring children’s feet, have them stand firmly on flat ground. Never measure their feet when they’re on your lap or when someone else is carrying them. Weight makes a difference in foot and shoe size so a certain shoe size might fit them when they’re off the ground but can be too small once they walk in them.
Walk and jump with the shoes on
If you’re buying new shoes in-store, have your little one walk and jump with the shoes on. This only helps makes sure they’re comfortable in them and won’t experience pain later on.
Why is Sizing Important for Children’s Still Growing Feet?
Choosing shoes that are well-fitting and comfortable are very important for young and still-growing kids. Just like in adults, shoes in the wrong size can lead to pain, blisters, and bruises.
Shoes that are too small for your kid’s feet will pinch their feet, cause blisters, and is a very painful experience. Painful shoes can stop them from being active kids. Too small shoes can also cause deformities on their still-growing and developing feet.
On the other hand, shoes that are too big are as equally bothersome. Wearing shoes that are too big for their feet also makes them prone to tripping and falling while walking.
If you want to avoid these risks, make sure you put in extra effort to measure your kid’s feet and find shoes that not only fit them but shoes they’re comfortable to be active in.
Conclusion
Shoe shopping means dealing with different shoe sizes and measurements. If you aren’t an expert on shoes, you might be confused about the many different shoe terminologies thrown at you. One of these shoe terminologies is PS.
PS means Preschool in children’s shoes. PS-labeled shoes mean they’re meant for little kids, usually aged three to five years old.
And that has been our answer to the question, “what does PS mean in shoes?” If you have other questions you’d like us to answer, hit us up right below!