The moment your child starts to take their first steps, you start to face many new challenges; just as removing everything in their reach becomes a part of your routine, so is choosing the right shoes for them. Indeed, children’s feet, especially babies and toddlers, are fragile, so they must be correctly taken care of right from a young age.
As much as it’s essential to let them explore barefoot while in your home when you start to take them outdoors, you’ll need to get the best shoes to help protect their little feet. According to Sara Driscoll, having a healthy foot is essential for children’s overall development and can also have a lasting effect till their adult lives. When choosing shoes for these young ones, there are a few things adults need to consider. Keep reading to discover some of these things.
How to Choose Shoes for Children
There are many things you need to take note of when choosing shoes for your child or children. Of course, the function must be considered before fashion, but fortunately, many styles cover both.
For starters, infants and toddlers do not need shoes but only socks. The socks will enable the feet to grow correctly and allow the muscles to develop, thus enabling the toes to grasp well. Toddlers should learn how to walk barefoot so that they may feel through their feet. Children should start to wear shoes only eight weeks after they’ve learned how to walk and the best type of shoes for these children are the no-slip boot style shoes with soft soles. These shoes will help keep their feet both protected and warm.
Secondly, make sure that the shoes can adequately fit. Fitting is a significant factor when choosing children’s shoes and should never be compromised. A child’s foot is still developing before age 6; this means that the muscles, nerves, and bones are still soft and can easily stretch if the shoes are not correctly fitted, and it can damage the child’s foot.
When shopping for your child’s shoes, the child should accompany you so that they try them on in the store. Usually, most top-quality shoe stores will offer both whole and half sizes shoes and a choice of width fittings to enable you to get the best fit for your child. Do well to look for the one that best fits your child.
Support is one thing that cannot be overstated regarding children’s shoes. As toddlers start to work, they need enough support in their feet, so it is essential to choose shoes with laces or buckles rather than elastic shoes. Also, it is advisable that the shoes you pick for them be made of leather as this material shapes the foot better.
Conclusion
Children’s feet, especially babies and toddlers, are fragile and should be given the utmost attention. You’ll need to consider many things when buying these little ones’ shoes. This is especially as a little mistake in your shoe choice can significantly affect their legs. Luckily we’ve listed some of the things you’ll need to consider when getting your child’s shoes. Do well to follow these guidelines for a better choice, and you sure won’t regret your decision.
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