<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-04-021962
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041118
<FILING-DATE>20041123
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041123
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CHILDRENS PLACE RETAIL STORES INC
<CIK>0001041859
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5651
<IRS-NUMBER>311241495
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0131
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>915 SECAUCUS RD
<CITY>SECAUCUS
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07094
<PHONE>2015582400
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>915 SECAUCUS RD
<CITY>SECAUCUS
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07094
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MEGRUE JOHN F
<CIK>0001024682
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23071
<FILM-NUMBER>041163697
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>450 LEXINGTON AVE
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10017
<PHONE>2124504519
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>450 LEXINGTON AVE
<STREET2>C/O DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10017
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-11-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001041859</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHILDRENS PLACE RETAIL STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PLCE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001024682</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MEGRUE JOHN F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>262 HARBOR DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>STAMFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06902</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-11-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>41632</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>58632</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1156015</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21224</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">SK Equity Fund, L.P. distributed 284,677 shares of common stock to its general partner, SKM Partners, L.P.  SKM Partners, L.P. distributed 284,677 shares of common stock to its general partner, Saunders Karp &amp; Megrue Partners, LLC.  Saunders Karp &amp; Megrue Partners, LLC distributed 41,632 shares of common stock to the reporting person as one of its members.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">As member of Saunders Karp &amp; Megrue Partners, LLC, which is general partner of SKM Partners, L.P., which is general partner of SK Equity Fund, L.P.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As member of Saunders Karp &amp; Megrue Partners, LLC, which is general partner of SKM Partners, L.P., which is general partner of SK Investment Fund, L.P.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ John F. Megrue</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-11-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
