Kids' Socks & Tights

Kids' socks and tights for school, home and sport, mostly from Sock Stack with thermal socks from Heatwave. The range covers cotton-rich school socks and tights, non-slip gripper and slipper socks, cushioned sports socks and football leg sleeves, sold in multipacks so there is always a clean pair for the school week.

How to find the right sock size

Children's socks in the UK are sized by shoe size rather than by age, so start with the shoe size your child wears now. Most socks here use these bands, with a rough age alongside as a guide:

0 to 2: around 0 to 1 years
3 to 5: around 1 to 2 years
6 to 8: around 2 to 4 years
9 to 12: around 4 to 7 years
12 to 3: around 7 to 12 years
4 to 6: around 10 to 13 years and up

Some packs, such as the bamboo socks, sports socks and tutu ankle socks, list the size by age instead. If your child sits at the top of a band, go up a size, as socks that are too short wear through at the toe faster. Our UK sock size guide explains the conversion in more detail.

Choosing school socks and tights

For uniform, the main choice is length. Ankle socks are the everyday option, long and knee-high socks suit skirts and pinafores, and tights keep legs warmer through the winter term. Most school styles come in black, white, grey and navy to match common uniform colours.

Cotton-rich socks blend cotton with a little polyamide or polyester and elastane, which keeps them soft but helps them hold their shape. The unisex ankle socks are 80% cotton and the girls' frilly ankle socks are 78% cotton.
Sculpted or reinforced heels and toes appear on several packs and help the sock sit in the right place on the foot.
School tights come in a cotton-rich stretch blend, sized by age from 3 to 4 years up to 11 to 12 years, with reinforced toes and heels.
Frilly and tutu ankle socks with lace and bows suit parties, weddings and christenings as well as school.

Grip socks and slipper socks for toddlers and younger children

Gripper socks have non-slip grips on the sole to help on smooth floors such as wood, tiles and laminate. The thermal slipper socks start at shoe size 6 to 8, the chunky knit gripper socks come in sizes 4 to 6 and 12 to 3, and the Heatwave thermal socks have a fully cushioned foot and grippers on the sole. Grips make polished floors and stairs less slippery, but toddlers still need a hand on the stairs. Check the grips now and then, as they wear down with washing.

Sports socks and leg sleeves

The cushioned sports socks are a cotton and polyester blend with cushioned soles for PE, running and football, sized from 4 to 7 years up to 10 to 13 years. Football leg sleeves are footless sleeves made to go over shin pads, in 96% nylon and 4% elastane, in one size for most children, in black, white, red or blue to match a team kit.

Washing and care

Most cotton-rich socks here wash at 40°C, and many can be tumble dried. Leg sleeves wash at 30°C and should not be tumble dried. Turn lace and frilly socks inside out before washing, and wash dark colours separately so white school socks stay white.

Common questions

What size socks does a 5 year old wear in the UK?

Many 5 year olds wear sock size 9 to 12, which matches roughly 4 to 7 years. Check your child's shoe size, as it is the more reliable guide.

Are grip socks good for toddlers?

They help on smooth floors at home and at soft play. Choose the size that matches their shoe size, so the grips sit under the foot rather than round the heel.