Choosing the right footwear is of the utmost importance for children’s development and growth. Not only should we choose nice shoes but we should also take other factors into account, such as comfort, mobility, protection and warmth.
What is the most recommendable kind of shoes for children? How can we help their feet grow? What should we look for when we go to buy shoes for babies or children? In this article we will give you some tips that will help you choose the best shoes for your children.
1.Comfortable shoes
Children’s shoes should be light, flat or with a very small heel, to favour balance and adaptation to their feet. It’s also a good idea to have a reinforced heel counter to support their ankles better and make their feet more stable.
2 Get the right size
Never buy them a larger size thinking that they will be able to use the shoes longer, as we might change the way they walk. But shoes shouldn’t be too tight either. The Hospital Dens web site says that there should be a distance of 1 to 1.5 cm between the tip of the big toe and the tip of the shoe (more or less the width of our toe).
3. Be careful with the soles
To avoid possible falls, it is important that the soles are non-slip, but they should also be made of a flexible material so that the front of the foot bends when walking and thus exercises the muscles in the arch of the foot.
4. Quality materials
The material shoes are made of has to fulfil certain parameters of quality; for example it should be breathable and not too stiff, so as to avoid rubbing, eczema, etc. on their feet. If your child can already walk choose resistant but flexible materials such as nubuck or leather, and rubber soles so that he doesn’t slip. If your baby can’t walk yet or only crawls, you can keep him warm with bootees made of soft and natural materials, such as wool or cotton. And if he has started standing up, the best bet is shoes made of soft and flexible materials with a non-slip sole.
5. Easy to put on and take off
Choose shoes that help your children do things for themselves; so they can put their shoes on and take them off quickly.
6. When should they try them on?
Finally, if you take your children shopping with you, they should try shoes on at the end of the day, which is when their feet are more swollen, and they should always try shoes on when wearing socks.
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