Sizing and fit
What size T-shirt fits a 5-year-old?
Short answer
Most 5-year-olds take a US youth XS, usually labelled 4/5. What that means in inches depends on the brand: measured flat, youth XS runs from 13½ inches across the chest in a Hanes to 16 inches in a Gildan Ultra Cotton. A 5T sits in the middle at 15 inches but is cut shorter in the body — 18½ inches against 18 to 20½ for youth XS. For a tall five-year-old, size up to a small (6/7) rather than buying a 5T.
US children's sizing is based on age, which is convenient and slightly misleading: it assumes an average build, and five-year-olds vary by several inches in both height and chest. Two children the same age can genuinely need different sizes, so age is a starting point rather than an answer.
The more reliable approach is to measure a T-shirt the child already wears and likes. Lay it flat, smooth it out, and measure straight across from armpit to armpit — double that number and you have the garment's chest measurement. Compare it against the listing's own measurements, which most established licensees publish.
Where age and build disagree, favour the measurement. A slim, tall five-year-old is usually better served by a small (6/7) than by an XS that fits the chest but stops short at the waist.
Sizes shift slightly between licensees, so where a listing publishes its own measurements those are the ones to trust.
| US size | Label | Cut | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 4/5 | Youth: narrower hip, longer body | Average build, age 4–5 |
| S | 6/7 | Youth, one size up | Tall or broad 5-year-olds |
| 5T | toddler 5 | Toddler: wider hip, shorter body | Rounder middle, or still in nappies |
Youth XS and 5T, measured
Chest is measured flat across the shirt, so double it to get the way round. Body length runs from the high point of the shoulder to the hem.
Youth XS (4/5)
| Blank | Labelled | Chest, flat | Body length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gildan 2000B | XS (4) | 16 in | 20½ in |
| Gildan 5000B | XS (4) | 16 in | 20½ in |
| Gildan 64000B | XS (4) | 14 in | 18 in |
| Hanes 5450 | XS | 13½ in | 18 in |
| Next Level 3310 | XS (4/5) | 14 in | 19 in |
Across these blanks, the chest ranges from 13½ to 16 in across — 2½ in of difference, or 5 in the whole way round, and the body runs 18 to 20½ in long.
5T
Rabbit Skins prints 5/6 where Bella+Canvas prints 5T. The garment is the same size.
| Blank | Labelled | Chest, flat | Body length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella+Canvas 3001T | 5T | 15 in | 18½ in |
| Rabbit Skins 3321 | 5/6 | 15 in | 18½ in |
Across these blanks, every one measures 15 in across the chest, and all are 18½ in long.
Where these come from: each manufacturer's own published spec sheet, read on September 29, 2026 — Gildan 2000B, Gildan 5000B, Gildan 64000B, Hanes 5450, Next Level 3310, Bella+Canvas 3001T, Rabbit Skins 3321. Manufacturers allow a tolerance on every measurement, so an individual shirt can differ by up to an inch. We have not measured these shirts ourselves.
More detail: US T-Shirt Size Guide: Toddler to 3XL covers this subject in full.
Related questions people ask
Is 5T the same as youth XS?
No. They cover the same age, but 5T is a toddler pattern — wider at the hip and shorter in the body — while youth XS is slimmer and longer.
What comes after 5T?
Youth XS (4/5) and then youth S (6/7). Most ranges stop making toddler sizes after 5T, so the next shirt is usually a youth size.
Shirts in these sizes
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