SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2013		Oct. 27, 2012	Jul. 28, 2012	Apr. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012		Oct. 29, 2011	Jul. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Feb. 02, 2013		Jan. 28, 2012		Jan. 29, 2011
Segment information
Percentage of entity-wide sales qualifying purchaser as major customer (as a percent)											10.00%
Number of Stores	1,095,000										1,095,000
Net sales:
Total net sales	$ 509,224	[1]	$ 500,928	$ 360,826	$ 438,508	$ 457,463	[1]	$ 484,085	$ 343,508	$ 430,806	$ 1,809,486	[1]	$ 1,715,862	[1]	$ 1,673,999	[1]
Gross Profit:
Gross Profit	188,557	[1]	209,533	114,705	178,645	162,620	[1]	198,026	117,574	181,429	691,440		659,649		660,121
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)											38.20%		38.40%		39.40%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)	25,919	[1]	53,526	(26,790)	37,060	21,220	[1]	51,935	(14,330)	46,618	89,715		105,443		129,210
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)											4.95804%		6.14519%		7.71864%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization	19,712	[1]	23,023	17,482	17,218	19,851	[1]	18,493	18,478	17,751	77,435		74,573		71,640
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures											90,182		79,764		83,945
Business Exit Costs	6,622		570	3,062	834						11,088
Total assets:
Total assets	923,410					866,252					923,410		866,252
Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets [Abstract]
Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Entity's Country of Domicile	294,123	[2]				294,023	[2]				294,123	[2]	294,023	[2]
Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Foreign Countries	803	[2]				532	[2]				803	[2]	532	[2]
Long-Lived Assets	334,497	[2]				328,270	[2]				334,497	[2]	328,270	[2]
The Children's Place U.S.
Segment information
Number of Stores	966					926					966		926
Net sales:
Total net sales											1,557,549	[1]	1,489,795	[1]	1,450,116	[1]
Gross Profit:
Gross Profit											584,081		553,755		551,327
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)											37.50%		37.20%		38.00%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)											68,346		76,531		87,803	[3]
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)											4.38805%		5.13702%		6.05489%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization											65,066		64,788		63,990
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures											75,945		66,690		78,401
Total assets:
Total assets	746,911					706,014					746,911		706,014
The Children's Place Canada [Member]
Segment information
Number of Stores	129					123					129		123
Net sales:
Total net sales											251,937	[1]	226,067	[1]	223,883	[1]
Gross Profit:
Gross Profit											107,359		105,894		108,794
Gross Margin:
Total Gross Margin (as a percent)											42.60%		46.80%		48.60%
Operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)											21,369		28,912		41,407
Operating income (loss) as a percent of net sales:
Total operating income (loss) (as a percent)											8.48188%		12.78913%		18.49493%
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization											12,369		9,785		7,650
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures											14,237		13,074		5,544
Total assets:
Total assets	176,499					160,238					176,499		160,238
Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets [Abstract]
Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Foreign Countries	39,571	[2]				33,715	[2]				39,571	[2]	33,715	[2]
EastCoastDCSeveranceOther [Member]
Capital expenditures:
Business Exit Costs	6,600										6,900
international revenue [Member]
Net sales:
Total net sales											8,400
EastCoastDC [Member]
Capital expenditures:
Business Exit Costs	2,000										7,700
accelerateddepreciation [Member]
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization											$ 1,600		$ 1,000

[1]

[2] The Company's long-lived assets are comprised of net property and equipment and other assets

[3] .