First walking shoes for baby
The first shoes — an exciting moment: How will your child react to the unknown footwear? How will it work? Be careful when buying your shoes. Look for the right size, so that nothing presses, on soft, breathable material and a firm but not too hard sole so that the small feet do not take any damage.
Incidentally, it is not necessary as soon as your baby makes the first clumsy steps to buy shoes at the same time. Footwear is only important when it can run independently. Even then, it is perfectly adequate to wear your child’s hard footwear outside to protect the feet from cold and injury.
In the house are for example soft leather boots completely sufficient. Barefoot skiing is still the best alternative.
What are the first shoes to look out for?
On the one hand, the feet should have a firm hold in the small shoes; on the other hand, they must not be restricted in their freedom of movement.
Also, the footwear may not be restricted in coordination or otherwise.
For the shoes, this means that they must be sufficiently large and secure to close, but not too hard and rigid.
Upper material, sole, and closure
The small feet should not sweat in the shoes, so it is sensible to choose a breathable upper material such as leather, cotton, or canvas. If the weather does not play so well, leather shoes should be the first choice.
In the summer or warmer temperatures may be light shoes made of cotton or canvas. In any case, care must be taken that the child has a firm hold in the shoes.
Also, air circulation is ensured by the respiratory-active material, which prevents pig infections.
The sole should be light, flat, and flexible, to avoid natural movement, as well as being naturally non-slip.
How the shoes can be closed is secondary. More importantly, the shoe is secure. However, shoelaces are lighter than buckles or hook-and-loop fasteners and then represent a tripping trap. The latter is, therefore, more sensible.
If your child is already a little older and can run safely and stable, the good old rubber boots cannot be missing. Beautiful and colorful motifs make going out twice as much fun. Our selection of rubber boots can be found here.
Choose the right size
Do not rely on the specified size for the purchase of the shoe; the actual dimensions may differ. Whether the shoes fit, the dimensions of the interior always determine.
This is how you can proceed: Place the foot of your child on a piece of cardboard and trace the outlines. Add twelve millimeters in length to cut a stencil out of the cardboard. If the stencil is placed in a shoe, you will find out if it has the correct inner length.
If the shoes have insoles, you can also remove them and compare the size with the stencil or the children’s foot. Order shoes on the Internet, check with the dealer for centimeters.
The twelve millimeters of clearance is important in order not to interfere with the movement. Still, the bones are soft, and the feet grow, a narrowing of too-small shoes can lead to deformations and long-term postural damage.
Too big shoes are also not ideal, the feet then slip back and forth. Twelve millimeters of travel should, therefore, be exceeded, but 17 mm.
If the shoes are obviously the right size, they still have to be tried on: there are differences in shape and width for the models. Laterally there should also be some room to be felt from the outside.
If this is ensured, leave your child to walk as far as possible to ensure that the feet do not slip out.
It is not a suitable method to press the front of the device to make sure that there is sufficient clearance in the length: the small toes usually retract in a reflex, creating a false impression.
Also, your child will hardly comment when the shoes are too small. Therefore, it is important to check the accuracy of the fit regularly to buy new shoes in good time.
Before you decide on a pair of children’s shoes, you can check the inside of the seams for safety. These could lead to pressure points or sores.
When can the child wear shoes?
Running is not easy. Muscles, motor skills, and coordination must first adjust to the new way of movement. This is easiest when the child feels the ground.
Thus it can learn to balance the body from the feet upwards via the nerve impulses. Firm shoes restrict this natural body feeling.
Also important is the free development of the still growing feet. Your child is supposed to walk safely in shoes, but they are not always forced into them.
In the apartment, therefore, you can continue to move without shoes or with soft house shoes. They are important outside, where they protect the feet.
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New or Used Children’s Shoes?
The result of a study by the University of Vienna called “Children’s Feet Children’s Shoes” is: It is safe when the first shoes are used. This does not affect the foot shape or gear.
If you have a suitable pair of an older sibling or otherwise used children’s shoes, you can have a good conscience.
This is, of course, on condition that they meet the above criteria. Also, ensure that the sole has not run out on one side.
Of course, this is also true: your child has quickly grown out of his shoes, why not give or sell them to friends? With used shoes, parents are careful not to damage their child’s feet.
