The Children's Place Review 2026: Newborn to Size 18, One Cart, Serious Markdowns
It's 6:52 a.m. and the school bus comes in eight minutes. Your seven-year-old's jeans, which fit fine in August, now stop at his ankles. The toddler has decided the only acceptable pajamas are the ones in the wash. And somewhere in the back of your mind is the holiday card photo you promised Grandma, the one with everybody in matching plaid.
That's the kind of morning The Children's Place is built for. It's a kids' clothing store with sizes from newborn to 18, prices that drop a lot, and enough sales that paying full price is mostly optional. We went through its catalog, fabrics, prices and fine print in October 2026 to see what's worth your cart.
The Story: From a Hartford Storefront to Two Kids' Brands
According to the company's corporate site, The Children's Place was founded in Hartford, Connecticut in 1969 by David Pulver and Clinton Clark. It started out selling toys, clothes and accessories, then decided clothing had the most room to grow. By the early 1980s it had become a children's clothing specialist for newborns to pre-teens, selling its own private-label line alongside other brands.
In 2019 the company bought the rights to Gymboree and brought it back to stores and online in early 2020. Today it trades on Nasdaq as PLCE and calls itself the largest pure-play children's specialty apparel retailer in North America. One loyalty account, My Place Rewards, now covers four brands: The Children's Place, Gymboree, Sugar & Jade and PJ Place.
What Makes It Different
- One store, every size. Baby 0–24M, Toddler 6M–5T and Girl/Boy 4–18, so siblings three sizes apart can be dressed in one checkout.
- Matching family pajamas. Whole collections come in baby, kid and adult sizes, so the holiday photo takes care of itself.
- Fabric details you can check before you buy. Product pages list the actual fabric. The footed cotton pajamas are 100% rib-knit cotton with a two-way zip and no-slip gripper soles from size 6–9M up. The baby snowsuit has a recycled-polyester microfleece lining and is wind and water resistant.
- Prices that keep dropping. When we checked, there was a "$17.99 Puffer Palooza," $7.99 pajama pants, "All Pajamas 60% Off" and clearance at 60% off, all at the same time.
- Characters and uniforms. Disney, Hello Kitty and Peanuts styles, plus polos and chinos for school.
Shop The Children's Place Highlights
Four pieces that caught our eye, with the prices we saw on October 19, 2026.
Prices change often; the brand's site always shows the current price.
Catch These Prices Before They Change →
The Lineup: What to Put in the Cart
| Piece | Price seen (Oct 19, 2026) | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Matching Family Pajamas – Buffalo Plaid Collection | $9.18–$25.98 (was $22.95–$64.95) | Buy it if you want one photo-ready look for baby, kids, mom and dad |
| Baby footed one-piece pajamas (Milk And Cookies, Gingerbread, Santa Sleigh) | $9.18 each (was $22.95) | Buy it if you want easy 2 a.m. diaper changes: the zip runs both ways |
| Puffer jackets ("Puffer Palooza") | $17.99 (was up to $59.95) | Buy it if you need a winter coat that can get lost at recess without ruining your week |
| Toddler Boys Pea Coat | $35.97 (was $59.95) | Buy it if you need something smart for holiday parties and church, sizes 12–18M to 5T |
| Baby Girls Microfleece Lined Snowsuit | $29.98 (was $59.95) | Buy it if a baby is going out in real cold: attached hood, mitten covers and footies (up to 6–9M) |
| Boys Knit Straight Jeans | $20.97 (was $34.95) | Buy it if your kid wants jeans that feel like sweatpants |
| Baby Girls Velour Flutter Romper | $14.97 (was $24.95) | Buy it if you want a soft holiday outfit in one piece |
For the holiday photo
Start with a family pajama collection. Buffalo Plaid, Feliz Navidad, Christmas Gnomies and Santa Letter were all listed, with baby pieces from about $9 and adult pieces in the same print. Order everyone's sizes in one go, because popular sizes in a print can sell out before December.
For cold mornings
The $17.99 puffers are the obvious value. Buy an eligible puffer and you can add a select hat, gloves or mittens for $5. If you want something dressier, the pea coat has a polyester melton body, taffeta lining, notched collar and welt pockets, and it hits at the hip, so it layers over a sweater without bunching.
For the baby on your list
Footed cotton pajamas at $9.18 are an easy gift. One sizing tip from the product page: these pajamas are made to fit snugly, so buy the baby's actual size rather than sizing up for growing room.
Shipping, Returns and Price Adjustments
| Policy | What The Children's Place says |
|---|---|
| Free shipping | Free standard shipping on eligible orders of $30+ to one address |
| Under $30 | $6.99 flat-rate standard shipping |
| Ship to store | Extra 10% off qualifying $30+ orders shipped to select U.S. stores |
| Return window | 45 days from purchase, unwashed and unworn, with original tags and a receipt (printed, gift or digital) |
| Returning by mail | Prepaid label available; a $7.00 fee comes off your refund, waived on orders/items under $260 if you choose merchandise credit |
| Returning in store | Free at any The Children's Place store, online exclusives included |
| Exchanges | In store only, same item and color in a different size |
| Final sale | Clearance, items marked Final Sale, pillows, jewelry dishes and select beauty accessories |
| Price adjustment | One-time adjustment on full-price purchases within 7 days |
| Defective items | Visit a store or contact Customer Service; no separate written warranty is listed |
Worried about the wrong size? If there's a store near you, online orders can go back there for free. Mail returns work too; just remember the $7 label fee.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Newborn to size 18 in one store | Sale prices change fast, sometimes daily |
| Steep markdowns (40–70% off seen in October) | Most codes exclude clearance and Gymboree items |
| Free shipping from just $30 | Mail returns cost $7 unless you take store credit |
| Free returns at any store, 45-day window | Exchanges can't be done by mail |
| Fabric listed on product pages | Clearance is final sale |
| Rewards points, birthday discounts and family-matching PJs | Coupons generally don't stack with each other |
Who Will Love The Children's Place?
- Families with kids in different size ranges who'd rather do one order than three.
- Holiday-photo planners who want baby-to-adult matching pajamas.
- Budget-minded parents buying for kids who outgrow everything by spring.
- School-uniform shoppers who need polos and chinos in bulk every August.
- Gift-givers shopping for a baby shower or a niece's birthday on a small budget.
How to Save
- Sign up for texts or emails. The brand advertises 30% off for new text subscribers and for first-time email subscribers, with exclusions.
- Watch the banner offers. They rotate often. On October 19, one banner offer added a free Halloween graphic tee to $60+ orders placed before 10/23, and a short-lived extra-percentage promo was running on $60+ orders.
- Get your cart to $30 for free shipping, or ship to a store for an extra 10% off.
- Join My Place Rewards. Members earn 1 point per $1, and 100 points = $5 off. There's a 20% birthday discount for kids 0–16; register the birth month at least 4 weeks ahead.
- Check our Children's Place deals page before you check out.
The Children's Place FAQ
What sizes does The Children's Place carry?
Baby 0–24M, Toddler 6M–5T and Girl/Boy 4–18, plus adult sizes in the matching family pajama collections.
How long do I have to return something?
45 days from purchase. Items must be unwashed and unworn, with tags attached and a receipt. Clearance and Final Sale items can't be returned.
Is shipping free?
Standard shipping is free on eligible orders of $30 or more. Below that, it's a $6.99 flat rate.
Can I return an online order in a store?
Yes. Online orders, including online exclusives, can be returned by mail or at any The Children's Place store. One catch: Children's Place-branded items can't be returned to Gymboree-only stores.
Our Verdict
The Children's Place won't win on luxury, and it isn't trying to. It wins on range and timing: every size from newborn to 18, fabric listed on the page, free shipping at $30, free in-store returns and markdowns deep enough that $9 footed pajamas and $18 puffers are normal in October. Shop on a deal day, get your cart to $30, join the rewards program and check our Children's Place deals page before you pay.
Get Today's Children's Place Deal →
How we wrote this: TinytrialsLab researched The Children's Place using its official website, corporate site, product pages, prices and policies in October 2026. We haven't personally tested these products and we don't invent ratings or discount codes. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.