Any parent of an active toddler has asked this question: “When should my child start wearing shoes?”There is no clear consensus. Some parents buy shoes as soon as their baby pulls herself into a first tentative stand; others wait as long as possible, preferring not to constrict their children’s feet.
“As a general rule, kids will need shoes when they are ready to start walking around outdoors,” says Peggy Wells, who is both a mother and president of Pip Squeakers, a children’s shoe company. “You will want something that protects your baby’s feet but still allows for some flexibility,” she explains.
For parents contemplating purchasing their baby’s first shoes, here are some suggestions for things to consider from
experts at parentsplace.com and pipsqueakers.com:
* Make sure you get proper fit. Shoes that are too tight or too loose could be painful or cause blisters, and may even hamper walking. Have your pediatrician measure your child’s feet, during regular check-ups. This will provide you with an accurate measurement when you refer to a shoe company’s sizing chart.
* Avoid stiff, high-top leather shoes; there is no evidence that they help babies walk. Instead, look for something soft and flexible that allows your baby to use movement of his feet to maintain balance and to walk. They should be made from canvas or some other breathable material, and have flat, flexible, non-slip soles.
* Get shoes your child likes. Pip Squeakers shoes make a pleasing “squeak” that children enjoy. “It encourages them to move, walk and explore their surroundings,” says Wells, who adds that children enjoy creating amusing sounds with each step. An added benefit is safety: sound allows parents to more easily track movements of their toddler and keep them within a close radius.
