Toddler Shoes

Toddler shoes are not important when the child roams about inside the house under your supervision.In fact, many paediatricians advise parents to allow their toddler to walk about barefoot until they are two years old. Moving barefoot is known to be the best way of strengthening foot muscles and providing balance to your unsteady toddler. However when you take her out, you must get the toddler shoes to protect her feet. The best way to get your toddler wear shoes is to buy ones that feel similar to her bare feet.

Tips on Buying Toddler Shoes

• Take your toddler along when you decide to buy her shoes. Do not make the choice yourself without her trying them out.
• Buy shoes of the right size. A size too big can cause her feet to slip out. This may even result in her losing balance. Too small shoes will prevent blood circulation in her feet and can even slow down their growth. You can slip your fingers on the sides after your toddler puts them on to check how much space is available.
• Focus more on comfort rather than fashion when you decide to buy your toddler shoes.
• Make your toddler try out the shoes on both the feet.
• Helping your toddler to wear shoes must not be a struggle or a nightmare. You must be able to slip them on and off her feet easily. This does not however mean buying a size too big.
• If you are going to make your toddler wear socks along with her shoes, take a pair along with you. Put the socks on her feet and try out the shoes with them.
• Light weight footwear is a good choice for your toddler. This makes the task of putting one foot in front of the other a lesser challenge for your toddler. If the footwear are heavy, the weight can make this task difficult to accomplish. Sandals or shoes are easier for little ones than slippers which have to be gripped to stay in place. Slippers have the advantage of improving toe grip and consequently the arch of the foot.
• Your toddler's shoes must withstand her activities.
• The shoes must retain their texture even after a wash.
• Buy shoes that allow you to bend the top upwards. These are flexible and provide free movement that your toddler needs as she walks around.
• Check for shoes with rough or grooved edges. Such footwear prevent your toddler from slipping as she walks about.
• Shoes with soft soles help your baby gain the feel of barefoot better than those with hard soles.
• Your toddler's shoes should have breathing space as she walks about. This reduces retention of moisture due to sweat in the shoes.
• Avoid shoes with even the slightest heels for your toddler to prevent her from tripping.
• Buying shoes made of leather or canvas allows more air circulation than synthetic ones. However, you may keep a synthetic pair ready for rainy season.
• Your toddler's shoes must have sufficient toe space. Her toes should not curl upwards for lack of space.
• Check for padding at the point of contact with your toddler's heels. Padding makes your toddler's feet comfortable.
• Get your toddler shoes that matches the shape of her feet with no pointed corners.
• Buy shoes in bright colours and designs that your toddler finds interesting.
• Do not invest in buying expensive shoes for the shoes as she will outgrow them fairly quickly. New shoes will usually have to be bought every 6 months in the toddler years as the rate of growth is rapid.

Remember that your toddler is too young to tell you of any discomfort in her footwear or if she has outgrown them. Even a small change in size can make the footwear uncomfortable for her. As a parent, it is your duty to check her footwear for her.

Buying Good Toddler Shoes

There are many options available for buying footwear for your toddler. Popular choices include Hush Puppies, Bata’s Bubblegummers and Crocs (and its many look-alikes).

How can I go about making my toddler wear shoes?

Some ways you can make wearing footwear an exciting task for your toddler are:

• Keep the toddler entertained when you slip her shoes on for her. Try telling her a story or sing a song to her. This will distract her.
• Do not shout or frown at your toddler if she removes her shoes as soon as you slip them on. Smile at her and try again.
• If you have a few pairs of footwear for your toddler and she wants to make a choice in wearing, allow her to do so.
• Keep by special shoes for special occasions.
• Set yourself as an example for her toddler. Allow her to see you wearing your footwear. Make sure to check that she realises you enjoy wearing them.