SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $)	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Mar. 23, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012		Oct. 29, 2011	Jul. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Jan. 29, 2011		Oct. 30, 2010	Jul. 31, 2010	May 01, 2010	Jan. 28, 2012		Jan. 29, 2011		Jan. 30, 2010
Segment information
Percentage of entity-wide sales qualifying purchaser as major customer (as a percent)												10.00%
Number of Stores		1,049,000										1,049,000
Net sales:
Total net sales		$ 457,463,000	[1]	$ 484,085,000	$ 343,508,000	$ 430,806,000	$ 453,170,000	[2]	$ 453,395,000	$ 345,301,000	$ 422,133,000	$ 1,715,862,000	[3]	$ 1,673,999,000	[3]	$ 1,643,587,000	[3]
Gross Profit:
Total gross profit		164,601,000	[1]	200,051,000	115,565,000	183,647,000	187,527,000	[2]	182,343,000	113,574,000	179,704,000	663,864,000		663,148,000		659,501,000
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)												38.70%		39.60%		40.10%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)		22,561,000	[1]	54,448,000	(15,778,000)	48,776,000	51,729,000	[2]	50,041,000	(13,128,000)	47,694,000	110,007,000		136,336,000		130,072,000
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)												6.41118%		8.10%		7.90%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization		19,851,000	[1]	18,493,000	18,478,000	17,751,000	18,078,000	[2]	17,738,000	18,199,000	17,625,000	74,573,000		71,640,000		71,447,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												79,764,000		83,945,000		62,217,000
Business Exit Costs	4,000,000															2,000,000
Total assets:
Total assets		850,649,000					854,331,000					850,649,000		854,331,000
Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets [Abstract]
Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Entity's Country of Domicile		339,053,000	[4]				344,387,000	[4]				339,053,000	[4]	344,387,000	[4]
Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Foreign Countries		532,000	[4]				599,000	[4]				532,000	[4]	599,000	[4]
Long-Lived Assets		377,324,000	[4]				376,630,000	[4]				377,324,000	[4]	376,630,000	[4]
The Children's Place U.S.
Segment information
Number of Stores		926					892					926		892
Net sales:
Total net sales												1,489,795,000	[3]	1,450,116,000	[3]	1,441,562,000	[3]
Gross Profit:
Total gross profit												557,577,000		555,888,000		559,865,000
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)												37.40%		38.30%		38.80%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)												80,847,000		96,881,000		90,873,000	[5]
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)												5.42672%		6.70%		6.30%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization												64,788,000		63,990,000		64,258,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												66,690,000		78,401,000		55,965,000
Total assets:
Total assets		693,489,000					720,951,000					693,489,000		720,951,000
The Children's Place Canada [Member]
Segment information
Number of Stores		123					103					123		103
Net sales:
Total net sales												226,067,000	[3]	223,883,000	[3]	202,025,000	[3]
Gross Profit:
Total gross profit												106,287,000		107,260,000		99,636,000
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)												47.00%		47.90%		49.30%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)												29,160,000		39,455,000		39,199,000
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)												12.89883%		17.60%		19.40%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization												9,785,000		7,650,000		7,189,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												13,074,000		5,544,000		6,252,000
Total assets:
Total assets		157,160,000					133,380,000					157,160,000		133,380,000
Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets [Abstract]
Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Foreign Countries		$ 37,739,000	[4]				$ 31,644,000	[4]				$ 37,739,000	[4]	$ 31,644,000	[4]

[1] Significant items impacting the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2011 include a reversal of performance-based compensation expense of approximately $7.8 million related to operating results versus plan, an approximate $5.6 million reversal of tax provision related to the Company becoming permanently reinvested in its Asian subsidiaries, an approximate $2.2 million tax benefit related to a portion of the settlement of a tax audit, and approximately $0.9 million of accelerated depreciation associated with the early remodel of certain Canadian stores.

[2] Significant items impacting the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010 include a reversal of stock-based compensation expense of approximately $1.6 million related to a reduction in the expected number of performance shares that will vest.

[3] All of the Company's foreign revenues are included in The Children's Place Canada segment

[4] The Company's long-lived assets are comprised of net property and equipment, long-term deferred income taxes and other assets

[5] (2)Included in Fiscal 2009 is approximately $2.0 million of exit costs related to the relocation of the Company's e-commerce fulfillment center