<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-10-15</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2012-10-16</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001198113</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Griffith Susan Patricia</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>INC.  500 PLAZA DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SECAUCUS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07094</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, par value $0.10 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-10-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>493</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>493</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (the &quot;Company&quot;), underlying time restricted stock units granted under the Company's 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the &quot;Plan&quot;) on Monday, October 15, 2012.  Such shares are deliverable to the reporting person on the first anniversary of the date of grant of the time restricted stock unit, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This Form 4/A is being filed to correct a typographical error in the number of shares acquired by Ms. Griffith.  No other amendments to the filing are being made.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ James E. Myers, as Attorney-In-Fact for Susan P. Griffith</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-04-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
