Looking for a good fit and comfort is a must for choosing right footwear for a toddler. Read on to find tips for buying first shoes for your toddler.Buying footwear for a one year old can be quite challenging. Parents must be prepared to handle a lot of screaming and kicking the first time around. To get a toddler to try out a pair of shoes without her moving much is not an easy task to say the least. Even if parents do manage to get her to wear it without any tantrums, figuring out the whether it is the correct size and fit can be a little tricky. It is very important for a toddler to wear good fit shoes while she is learning to walk failing which she will not be able to master the skill quickly. In this articleWhen to Shop?Good FitHow to Test a Shoe on an Infant?How to Monitor Shoe Fitness?Is it Ok to Wear Used Shoes?Tips for Buying Shoes for a Toddler Here are a few tips which will help you to select the right shoes for your toddler and be sure that it is a good fit in every way. When to Shop? - Buy shoes for your baby only after she starts walking which will normally be between 10 to 18 months. Kids will be able to practice taking steps better when they are barefoot since shoes make it hard to grip the ground and learn to balance. Buy shoes for your toddler only from reputed stores who have trained staff to guide you properly. Feet of small toddlers normally swell up during the day. Hence, the best time to buy shoes for a baby is in the afternoon. Good Fit - It is best to go in for brands which manufacture shoes specifically for toddlers. To be sure that it is a proper fit first insert your finger into the heel. Your finger must fit snugly in the heel. Secondly insert your finger in the point where the shoe meets the ankle. This is to check the quality of stitching which often causes blisters. Lastly feel the shoes tip while your child is standing. Ideally in a good fit shoe there should be half an inch of space between the big toe and the tip. How to Test a Shoe on an Infant? - After identifying a good fit shoe, make your child wear it and walk around in the store itself. Once you take off the shoes look out for red or any other unusual mark on your child’s feet. These are indications of tight shoes which your child may be not comfortable wearing. Similarly loose, slipping heels are an indication of an inappropriate shoe size. How to Monitor Shoe Fitness? - Small children’s feet grow rapidly. They may require a size change almost every two to three months. Parents must keep a close watch and look out for signs like the child hobbling around or rubbing her feet which are indications of a tight shoe. Is it Ok to Wear Used Shoes? - When your child is trying to get a hang of and master motor skills required for walking, running and jumping, it is best to avoid making her wear hand me down shoes. A new shoe will adapt far more easily to a developing foot rather than a used one. In case of a used shoe the inside of the shoe would already be moulded to suit another foot. Since not two feet are the same this moulded shoe may not be the best fit for your child. Kid shoes are really expensive. However, wearing right footwear is essential for developing motor skills in a child. Parents must therefore carefully select shoes for their child and avoid making them wear hand me down shoes at least for first couple of years.
Looking for a good fit and comfort is a must for choosing right footwear for a toddler. Read on to find tips for buying first shoes for your toddler.Buying footwear for a one year old can be quite challenging. Parents must be prepared to handle a lot of screaming and kicking the first time around. To get a toddler to try out a pair of shoes without her moving much is not an easy task to say the least.
Even if parents do manage to get her to wear it without any tantrums, figuring out the whether it is the correct size and fit can be a little tricky. It is very important for a toddler to wear good fit shoes while she is learning to walk failing which she will not be able to master the skill quickly.
Tips for Buying Shoes for a Toddler
Here are a few tips which will help you to select the right shoes for your toddler and be sure that it is a good fit in every way.
When to Shop? -
Buy shoes for your baby only after she starts walking which will normally be between 10 to 18 months. Kids will be able to practice taking steps better when they are barefoot since shoes make it hard to grip the ground and learn to balance. Buy shoes for your toddler only from reputed stores who have trained staff to guide you properly. Feet of small toddlers normally swell up during the day. Hence, the best time to buy shoes for a baby is in the afternoon.
Good Fit -
It is best to go in for brands which manufacture shoes specifically for toddlers. To be sure that it is a proper fit first insert your finger into the heel. Your finger must fit snugly in the heel. Secondly insert your finger in the point where the shoe meets the ankle. This is to check the quality of stitching which often causes blisters. Lastly feel the shoe's tip while your child is standing. Ideally in a good fit shoe there should be half an inch of space between the big toe and the tip.
How to Test a Shoe on an Infant? -
After identifying a good fit shoe, make your child wear it and walk around in the store itself. Once you take off the shoes look out for red or any other unusual mark on your child’s feet. These are indications of tight shoes which your child may be not comfortable wearing. Similarly loose, slipping heels are an indication of an inappropriate shoe size.
How to Monitor Shoe Fitness? -
Small children’s feet grow rapidly. They may require a size change almost every two to three months. Parents must keep a close watch and look out for signs like the child hobbling around or rubbing her feet which are indications of a tight shoe.
Is it Ok to Wear Used Shoes? -
When your child is trying to get a hang of and master
motor skills required for walking, running and jumping, it is best to avoid making her wear hand me down shoes. A new shoe will adapt far more easily to a developing foot rather than a used one. In case of a used shoe the inside of the shoe would already be moulded to suit another foot. Since not two feet are the same this moulded shoe may not be the best fit for your child.
Kid shoes are really expensive. However, wearing right footwear is essential for developing motor skills in a child. Parents must therefore carefully select shoes for their child and avoid making them wear hand me down shoes at least for first couple of years.
