Summer shopping- How much will a 4 yo old grow?

[bnme]

I'm starting to get summer stuff ready for my kids. My oldest is 4 yrs & 4 months (Jan birthday) and about 40 inches 36 lbs. I have a bunch of shorts and tees from last summer that still fit him. Some are size 3T (that run big), some 4 or 4T. Most of the stuff that fits fits perfectly. Not much room to grow.

I can't decide what to purchase? I know he will grow but not sure how much at this age. Should I be purchasing an entire new summer wardrobe for him sizing up to 5?

I don't want to wait until the last minute because then things become hard to find. We have a trip to Disney planned for Dec so I assume I will need at least some size 5 for that anyway.

TIA

[mapg]

I would buy the things you really like in a 5. But I bet he will still be able to wear some of his 4's. It seems to me at this age growth sems to be arm and leg growth. So some of the shorts should be okay, especially since it seeems to me that boys shorts are really long these days. Don't save anything from last year, put it on him when you get a chance.

[pampamz]

Our DS turned 4 in Sept. He has just had a major growth spurt and needs 5 in pants and tops now, which I think will last him through summer.
All his 4T shorts still fit fine (even some 3T's are fitting still). 5T shorts are too long on him.

HTH

[jgiadrosich]

My son just turned 5 and everything I buy him now is size 5. He is tall and skinny (45 inches and about 44 lbs.) With us as long as the waist is not too big, size 5 is good. The main thing is you don't want the shorts being too short, especially for a boy, which is what you might find with a size 4 unless they are the shorts that are made long already. but with him being 40inches size 4 sounds like it will be fine for the summer, you really don't expect him to grow more than 2 inches.

[lizajane]

schuyler is the same size- about 44.25 inches and 44lbs. tall and skinny. he just turned 4 last month. he wears a 5 in shirts and pants, but a 3 or 4 in shorts. he wears a 6 in some shirts. i personally do not care for long shorts, and because he is so skinny, the smaller shorts work a lot better for him. his size 3 talbot's shorts run so big, they are just about 2 inches above his knee and have plenty of room to grow. he has size 4 shorts from a few random places that fit well, too. his bathing suit has to be a 3 or it would fall right off.

he has grown one size since last summer. none if his clothes from last summer fit, with the exception of a few size 4T shirts. his shorts are all too tight and his shirts are all too short. he wore a size 4T pants from last summer to this spring and now needs a 5. so i really does take him almost a year to grow a complete size.

i would wait for the summer sales in june to get a few size 5 things. then he can try them on so you can decide what would work well and what might be too big still. and you will know better what needs to be replaced at that point.

[MelissaTC]

My DS is going to be 5 in June and he is around 42 inches or so (I haven't checked his height but he is at least 42) and he weighs 36 lbs. He is super thin. His 3-4 clothes from Boden still fit him, his Gymbo bathing suits from last summer in a 4 are still big and he can still wear Hannas in 100 without a problem. I have decided to get 4 bottoms because he has the tiniest waist in creation and then get size 5 in most tops because they tend to shrink.

I have found that M will bulk up and then stretch. He has already had 2 growth spurts this year so his pants are short but they are still HUGE in the waist. Have you noticed a pattern with your DS?

[bnme]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Based on what everyone is saying I feel safe with his current stuff and buying only some in 5's. I'll need them for a December vacation anyway. Plus have 2 the same is good because I know if he doesnt wear them chances are his baby brother will.

I find it so hard to shop ahead!! I don't notice a pattern, I guess thats why. I just notice when his pants are getting too short but can never remember when/why I last bought.