Howdy, let’s continue our baby and kids shoes shopping tips & advice series. We’re right in the middle of summer here in Montreal and many young kids are having fun in summer camps. Since it can be quite hot here in the day time, sandals are absolutely must-haves for children to keep their feet cool and comfy. While style and design are some of the most essential elements, I’ll add more to the criteria for trouble-free kids’ sandals shopping. Hope they can help parents.
Brand V.S Quality. It’s undeniable that famous name brands have the latest styles and best design. Most of them are pricy too. As a parent wrote in a comment to my article, most kids wear cheap shoes that don’t give their feet good support because parents can’t afford expensive ones. However, we believe that there’re kids’ shoes brands that combine style, quality and affordability at the same time. Do your due diligence and chances are even the most frugal shoppers can find their hearts’ desire for kids.
Consult a Kids’ Shoes Professional. Go to a shoe store where you can find a sales person with in-depth knowledge on kids’ shoes and have your kids’ feet measured accurately. Make sure there’s room (around 0.5 inch) for your kids’ toes move freely.
Breathable Uppers Keeps Feet Odour Free. Some synthetic or plastic materials can actually make kids’ feet sweat and stink. That’s very embarrassing especially among a crowd. Choose kids sandals with uppers made of mesh or genuine leather that can breathe and makes feet odour free. By the way, genuine leather shoes adapt to feet much better too.
AvoidSlip-ons for Outdoor Activities. Slip-on or strapless sandals do not provide ankle support and are not recommended for kids who love outdoor activities. That’s why many parents are buying sling-back sandals for kids even they might look less stylish.
Skid-free but Flexible Soles Are Essential. Kids have a lot of summer activities near pools or water front where slip-free sole can be found useful. As we’ve mentioned many times before, kids’ shoes soles must be flexible, preferably with shock-absorbing petals and cushions that reduce the impact when kids’ feet hit the ground.
By the way, if you’re taking kids to a theme park this summer, this kids shoes video must be helpful too:
As a kids’ shoes supplier and writer, the most frequently asked questions I hear from parents definitely include “how can I know if my kids’ shoes are too tight?” and “do I have to bring my child along when buying shoes for him/her?”
This question also concerns many non-profit organizations such as AAOS (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) which claims that over 60% of kids are wearing shoes that are too tight at home. Some parents believe kids’ feet are flexible and they can cram into tight shoes without getting hurt. Thriftiness is a good virtue until it hurts your kid. I’ve seen children with serious blisters on their feet incurred by shoes that are too stiff. That’s a serious problem. Kids need new shoes before their feet grow blisters or toes have to curl up to fit.
As we always advice, the best way to buy a pair of well-fitting shoes for kids is to take them along with you when shopping. Have a sales expert measure their feet accurately and ask your kids to try shoes on to feel if they’re comfy. Then check if both sides of heels are firm and soles are bendable at the ball of the feet. A pair of well-fitting kids shoes should be designed by professionals that have in-depth knowledge of kids’ foot development.
Many parents ignore the fact that marked sizes are sometimes inaccurate, depending on brands, models and styles. Therefore, the proper way is to have your kids put the new shoes on in a standing position and walk around for a minute to find if they really fit. If they tell you that their feet feel pressed or irritated, it’s a sign that the shoes are too tight.
Also notice that anyone’s two feet are of slightly different sizes and measurement of both is important. Since it’s impossible to buy a pair of shoes of two slightly different sizes, buy a pair that fits the wider or longer foot. Shoes made from genuine leather or suede are the best to keep kids feet dry and cool.
Lastly, what’s more significant, comfort or style? Well, if it’s impossible to find both attributes in a pair of kids’ shoes, we definitely suggest choosing ones that are comfortable.
Kids grow so fast that even a pair of shoes bought two months ago can become too stiff now. So have your kids feet measured every month and, if new shoes are needed, follow the above shopping tips to make sure their feet can develop healthily.
Kids’ feet grow so fast that buying increasingly larger shoes for them is inevitable till they finally reach adulthood. That’s why buying footwear for children could be very frustrating — not only the constant spending, but also the knowledge parents have to possess to choose right pair of shoes. Here’re some tips on how to avoid top 3 mistakes parents make in kids shoes shopping.
Frugality Could Cost More.
Some parents are tempted to buy ill-fitted shoes, intentionally. Though sounds surprising, it’s true because many thrifty parents still have misconception about buying shoes. Some just ignore the fact that shoes bought last years or even several months ago can be too small and incur pain or blisters in kids’ feet. More believe buying kids’ shoes a few sizes too large can save their money because kids won’t need new ones in the next couple of years.
However, kids might suffer from their parents’ frugality. According to a survey conducted in the U.K, 90 percent of kids wear ill-fitted shoes and their parents don’t even notice that. As we’ve discussed in another article on kids shoes, while larger shoes for children might mean saving a little extra money for parents’ pockets, they could be very dangerous for kids. A little space between toes and shoes gives kids feet room for breath and wiggling, but too much space could cause them trip and get hurt. So it’s generally OK for some parents buy larger clothes for children, but the same frugality should absolutely not apply to shoe shopping.
Measure Kids Feet Frequently.
Next time you take your kids to a shoe store, have a salesperson who really knows about shoe sizing measure their feet. Distract your kid when trying new shoes if they’re nervous or wouldn’t put their feet in place.
Remember, before 3 years of age, kids grow really fast and their feet grow half a size every 2 or 3 months. So, make sure measure their feet every month to see if their shoes still fit. Blisters or calluses indicate that they need a pair of new shoes.
Kids’ Shoes for Different Occasions.
Finally, another important aspect of choosing a pair of well-fitted shoes is that they should have different shoes for different purposes. While Velcro makes it easy for kids to put on shoes by themselves, children that are very active and can keep running and hopping for hours had better wear sneakers with laces because they prevent shoes from falling off their feet easily.
