How to choose good shoes for your child?

If walking barefoot is strongly recommended in closed environments and for as long as possible, we can say that it is even more practical to put shoes on your heir’s feet when you find yourself walking down the street, precisely so that his skin does not come to contact contact with all the microbes and dirt on the asphalt.

But then, where do we start? What are the steps to follow?

When should you put shoes on your baby?

Concretely, the rule number 1 of the child’s walking is: The more barefoot they are, the better. At home, at nursery, at the nanny’s, in the garden, we leave the foot as free as possible, to let the arch of the foot form and strengthen.

When the baby crawls or when he gets on all fours, we also let his little feet live their life with nothing in the end, which could only weigh it down and prevent the correct positioning of the hips and feet.

When he starts doing it stand up and hold on to furniture (and throwing everything within reach onto the ground, yay), it’s the same thing. We leave the tip unconstrained.

indoors, once walking is acquiredthat is, once the child no longer needs to hold on to anything, neither furniture nor your hands, to walk, he no longer kicks around and has fun like an antelope in the savannah, we leave him with nothing too.

If the temperatures are too cold and you are afraid of freezing your toes, there is a possibility of doing so small soft slippers or cotton socks, which do the job very well. But pay attention again to the slippers: them It shouldn’t squeeze your foot too much and trap it, but merely acts as a heat shield against the cold ground.

For the outside, once the child walks more or less correctly and it becomes impossible to keep him in the stroller without the risk of howling audible 3 km away, we can give him suitable shoes at the feet.

How to find out your child’s shoe size?

Unlike adult feet, whose size changes little over the course of life, Children’s feet grow at a dizzying rate. To give you an idea, although every child is, on average, different a child between the ages of one and two changes size every two or three months. For children between two and four years old it is one size every three to four months, while between four and six years old it is one size every four to six months. Finally, around age six, a child grows one or two sizes per year.

But how do you measure the feet of children who want to believe they are Usain Bolt? Already, Let’s avoid pedometersthese objects certainly allow us to know the official size of the heir, but which do not give the real size of the foot.

In fact, a child’s foot is measured in length, but also in widthand these are the data that must be taken into account when purchasing your first shoes.

To measure correctly you need a little equipment, but don’t panic, it’s very simple.

1. Arm yourself with a blank sheet of paper, a marker and a ruler
2. Place the baby’s foot on the sheet
3. Once this is done and the lump no longer moves (hold it upright while you measure its feet, sticking some modeling clay or peel-off stickers between your hands during this time, it should keep it still for a few minutes), make a mark with the marker in front of the big toe, another behind the heel, one next to the bump of the foot on the side, and another on the other side. Once done on one foot, move on to the other and that’s it, you have the necessary markings for measurement.
4. Then measure, with a ruler, the space between the points, in width and length and carefully write down these figures, up to the nearest decimal point.

To help you visualize the operation, here is a video taken from the specialized site Small giant steps :

Once you have these numbers, Choosing the right shoe size should be easier. As an indication, on the Allobébé nursery website, I found this table which can give you an idea of ​​the size of your child, but only the length:

do not forget to also carefully measure the width, so that the precious’s toes do not feel cramped. Just like adults, children can have thin feet, wide feet, and a shoe that accommodates these factors is essential.

Which shoes to choose for your first steps?

Once you’ve officially learned to walk, that’s it, you can go ahead and put on your PEL for your first shoes. But how do we choose them?

When choosing, some points must be taken into consideration: the soles must be flexible and thinthe Achilles heel must be adequately supported (but it is not necessary to have models that are too high) and the front part of the foot must be flexible.

If all these points are satisfied, quick, let’s go to the checkout. The shoe has to be really flexible and support the natural movement of the foot. A sole that is too stiff may prevent the toe from rolling out and your toes may not do their job. It is not necessary to have the arch of the foot in the shoe, on the contrary. The child’s foot empties naturally thanks to the action of different muscles during growth.and a pre-shaped arch in the shoe could prevent the development of muscles needed for balance and walking.

Small additional detail: at first we avoid second-hand shoes, because the sole must not have supported the feet of other children with the risk of leaving an imprint that does not correspond to that of your heir. For your first shoes, it is best to buy new, quality shoes made of solid materials. But it is true that it is an investment, which should not be neglected, if possible.

The best, for first shoes, is to ask a specialized shoemaker for advice in a children’s shop. He will suggest the models that are really suitable for the first steps, and will have your child try various models, after having correctly measured his foot.

Concretely, the shoe must not hinder walking, and turn it into a movement that is not natural. Let the toes live their life, let the arch of the foot develop at its own pace and everything will be done in time.

If you have the slightest doubt about your child’s first steps or posture, do not hesitate to consult them doctor or podiatrist, who will be able to give you appropriate advice.

Finally, remember this depending on the brand the sizes may vary : this is why it is important to carefully measure the child’s foot and transfer these measurements to those indicated in the shoe models. A child may very well be a size 22 for one brand and a size 20 for another.

Listen to Laisse-moi kiffer, Madmoizelle’s cultural advice podcast.