SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 27, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011	Oct. 27, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011	Feb. 02, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Percentage of entity-wide sales qualifying purchaser as major customer (as a percent)			10.00%
Segment information
Business Exit Costs	$ 570,000	$ 0	$ 4,466,000	$ 0	$ 13,000,000
Net sales:
Total net sales	500,928,000	484,085,000	1,300,262,000	1,258,399,000
Gross Profit:
Total gross profit	206,203,000	200,051,000	497,233,000	499,263,000
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)	41.20%	41.30%	38.20%	39.70%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)	50,239,000	54,448,000	58,683,000	87,446,000
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)	10.00%	11.20%	4.50%	6.90%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization	23,023,000	18,493,000	57,723,000	54,722,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	27,143,000	17,155,000	71,380,000	63,880,000
Total assets:
Total assets	939,905,000	874,180,000	939,905,000	874,180,000		850,649,000
Percentofnetsalesofsandystores	31.00%		31.00%
internationalfranciseerevenue [Domain]
Net sales:
Total net sales	5,500,000		6,000,000
The Children's Place Canada [Member]
Total assets:
Depreciation	300,000		1,600,000
The Childrens Place US Member
Total assets:
Number of Stores	280		280
westcoastnortheastdc [Domain]
Segment information
Business Exit Costs	600,000		4,500,000
storesstillclosedfromsandy [Domain]
Total assets:
Number of Stores	2		2
The Childrens Place US Member
Total assets:
Depreciation			5,700,000
The Childrens Place US Member
Net sales:
Total net sales	424,854,000	416,781,000	1,119,690,000	1,091,706,000
Gross Profit:
Total gross profit	170,209,000	165,310,000	420,705,000	418,055,000
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)	40.10%	39.70%	37.60%	38.30%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)	38,050,000	41,196,000	45,364,000	62,182,000
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)	9.00%	9.90%	4.10%	5.70%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization	19,497,000	16,142,000	48,220,000	48,105,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	24,783,000	14,154,000	60,073,000	53,849,000
Total assets:
Total assets	770,009,000	720,823,000	770,009,000	720,823,000		693,489,000
Number of Stores	973	953	973	953
The Children's Place Canada [Member]
Net sales:
Total net sales	76,074,000	67,304,000	180,572,000	166,693,000
Gross Profit:
Total gross profit	35,994,000	34,741,000	76,528,000	81,208,000
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)	47.30%	51.60%	42.40%	48.70%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)	12,189,000	13,252,000	13,319,000	25,264,000
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)	16.00%	19.70%	7.40%	15.20%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization	3,526,000	2,351,000	9,503,000	6,617,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	2,360,000	3,001,000	11,307,000	10,031,000
Total assets:
Total assets	$ 169,896,000	$ 153,357,000	$ 169,896,000	$ 153,357,000		$ 157,160,000
Number of Stores	129	123	129	123