Fitting shoes for your new walkers and beyond!
Kids feet grow quickly, quicker than most of us realize. Young children should be in shoes that have plenty of room to wiggle their toes and ample room for their feet to grow. Babies are born with wide feet and their toes spread out like a fan. As we grow and begin to wear modern and perhaps more fashionable shoes our foot structure is often altered by shoes.
Have you ever look closely at a shoe and noticed how the toe area of most shoes curves and looks more narrow and rounded at the toe? As our feet are put into shoes with pointed toes and narrowed toe boxes our feet often conform to these unnatural and often damaging shapes and pressures.
An ideal fit for baby’s first walking shoes should be a wider shoe at the toe versus a narrower toe and should more closely resemble the natural human shape when barefoot. Babies have nice wide feet, the toes literally fan out, and their arch is rounded. The foot muscles and bones will develop to match each child’s appropriate age and growth milestone, but it is important that their feet are allowed develop at their own pace.
When our little one is learning to walk they need to feel the ground to gain balance and sense depth perception. Of course barefoot is best but optimal baby’s first walking shoes is a soft soled shoe such as those made by Robeez, See Kai Run, Livie & Luca, Bubox and Soft Stars to name a few.
Some brands although cute and emulate miniature Olympic athletic shoes are not ideal for your baby to learn to walk in. They are of course fine for occasional dress up wear or to capture that family picture or holiday card but can be unsafe for them to wear while working to gain their balance and develop their walking legs.
Improper baby’s first walking shoes can add unnecessary falls and increase learning frustration. It’s important to let them feel the ground. If at home and on safe familiar surfaces barefoot is best. Their feet are sticky and wide and equipped with all they need to get up and go.
At Beanstalk our staff is trained at helping you find the best fitting shoes for your growing bean as well as helping you make healthy shoe choices. We are here to help you size your little ones foot, pair it with the right size shoe and help you select the best option for your little one. Finding the proper shoe is an area we feel is important for the development and health of your child in addition to a great opportunity to explore the many well designed, fashionable and adorable brands on the market.
We have a wonderful selection of shoes ranging from newborn to youth sizes. We have over 30 brands, at any one time, on hand at beanstalk. Our favorite brands include: See Kai Run, Livie & Luca, Robeez, Bobux, Soft Stars, Stride Rite, Keen, Toms and Crocs. We feel confidant that our well trained, enthusiastic staff and our large selection will meet your shoe buying needs.
Overview:
- Shoes should be fitted for proper foot room:
- Too tight or too small constricts and restricts your child’s movement
- Too big and floppy can causes falling and frustration
- Early walkers, we suggest soft and flat soled shoes.
- Proficient walkers we suggest soft soled or a more flexible soled shoe.
- 4yrs old and up a firmer shoe is okay however we still recommend a flexible sole for their growing feet and active bodies.
- Barefoot time at home grows healthy feet!
- Feet can be varying sizes between feet. Buy what fits the larger foot.
- All shoes fit differently, try on various styles and sizes.
- Children’s shoes should not need to be “broken in”, they should be comfortable from the start.
- For the best-fit try on shoes with the socks or tights your child will wear with them.
- Children’s feet grow fast:
- An infant foot will reach almost half it’s adult length by the end of their first year.
- Toddler’s feet grow about one shoe size every 3-4 months.
- 4yr olds feet will be double the size their feet were at birth.
- If you have any concerns regarding your child’s feet or walking gate be sure to consult with your doctor.
Last but not least: Children’s feet are sweaty so keep them in leather, canvas or breathable fabrics! We love shoes made of natural fabrics.
We know that sometimes kids want to run and not take time to try on shoes. No worries! When you buy shoes with us if they don’t fit you have 7 days to exchange them or store credit can be applied to your account to use later.
Happy Walking!
