Poorly fitting children’s shoes can cause a number of problems in adults such as hammer toes, ingrown toenails, corns, calluses and bunions. Given the high level of discomfort that these problems can cause it makes sense to ensure your children’s shoes are fitted properly from day one.

The most important factor in shoes for a child is that they fit properly. Preferably this means that the shoes are fitted by someone who has had some special training in the fitting of children’s footwear.
Here are some tips for making sure your child gets the right pair of shoes for them:

• Children should have their feet measured approximately every 3 months.

• Generally for a shoe to be fitted correctly there should be a thumb width between the end of the shoe and the end of the longest toe.

• When looking at the sole of the shoe, it should be relatively straight (not curved in too much). The foot is naturally straight and so should be the shoe!

• The fastening mechanism (laces, Velcro, buckles etc) should hold the heel firmly in the back of the shoe. The foot should not be able to slide forward when inside the shoe.

• The shoe should be flexible across the ball of the foot as this is where the foot bends. The Shoe should not bend where the foot does not bend.

• Leather and canvas are a better material as they are more durable and can breathe. Synthetic materials do not breathe as well, unless they are the open weave style and plastic should be avoided altogether.

• Check that the shoes have rounded toe boxes to give the toes more room to move.

Children under the age of 16-18 months grow more than half a foot size every two months.
Toddlers from the ages of 16 to 24 months grow an average of half a foot size every four months.
Over the age of 3 years of age, they increase half a foot size every four to six months.