QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	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
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		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
Selling, general and administrative expenses		121,728,000	[1]	126,741,000	111,885,000	116,722,000	117,513,000	[2]	114,210,000	107,281,000	113,455,000	477,076,000		452,459,000		455,782,000
Asset impairment charges		461,000	[1]	369,000	980,000	398,000	207,000	[2]	354,000	1,222,000	930,000	2,208,000		2,713,000		2,200,000
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
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
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes		22,526,000	[1]	54,378,000	(16,092,000)	48,505,000	51,426,000	[2]	49,651,000	(13,509,000)	47,238,000	109,317,000		134,806,000		124,341,000
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		(1,700,000)	[1]	20,686,000	(6,315,000)	19,421,000	18,736,000	[2]	18,493,000	(5,241,000)	19,231,000	32,092,000		51,219,000		35,500,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations		24,226,000	[1]	33,692,000	(9,777,000)	29,084,000	32,690,000	[2]	31,158,000	(8,268,000)	28,007,000	77,225,000		83,587,000		88,841,000
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations		$ 970.00	[1]	$ 1,330.00	$ (380.00)	$ 1,100.00	$ 1,240.00	[2]	$ 1,140.00	$ (300.00)	$ 1,000.00	$ 3.01		$ 3.05		$ 3.09
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)		25,033		25,279	25,738	26,387	26,452		27,238	27,755	27,930	25,668		27,436		28,707
Performace Based Expense		7,800,000
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		5,600,000														10,300,000
State		2,200,000										6,462,000		7,240,000		963,000
Depreciation		900,000
Business Exit Costs	4,000,000															2,000,000
Share-based Compensation							$ 1,600,000					$ 9,286,000		$ 8,045,000		$ 8,450,000

[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