Let’s face it, most kids are not fans of going out and visiting shoe shops, so to save you time and hassle we’ve put together this ultimate list of buying shoes for your kids online.
Children’s shoes are incredibly important as young kids are still growing, developing, and slightly lacking in coordination. There are plenty of factors to consider when it comes to shopping for and selecting kids’ shoes online, it’s not just a matter of picking something that looks the coolest.
Here we’ll talk about 7 things to consider doing before buying shoes. Follow these steps and you’ll be finding and buying footwear that will ensure that you’ve got safe and healthy shoes relevant for your child’s development.
7 Things to Consider When Buying Kids Shoes
As soon as children start going outdoors, they need some form of foot protection even if they are still infants. Shoes are not necessarily required for babies but their feet need to stay warm and protected from the elements. From the toddler age and up, children will need real shoes before they can start wandering around on their own. Here are 9 tips to help you buy shoes online.
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Constantly Check your Child’s Shoes
Younger children aren’t likely to verbalize that their shoes are feeling tight. You need to look for signs that it’s time to buy a new pair of shoes. You can look for signs like areas that are showing signs of damage or their toes are too close to the end of their shoes (there should be sufficient space between the big toe and the end of the shoe. Shoes that are too small will prohibit the feet from developing properly.
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It’s all about measuring!
The best way to measure for a child’s shoe size is to have the child stand on a piece of paper and trace the outline of their feet onto it. This is by far the easiest way of measuring as they tend to move around a lot when you are directly measuring their feet, so this is the most accurate way. Once you’ve got their feet outlined, measure from the back of the heel to the furthest toe out. Now use the chart below and see what size shoe your child needs.
| Inches | U.S. Shoe Size | European Shoe Size |
| 5.38 | 6.5 | 23 |
| 5.56 | 7 | 23.5 |
| 5.75 | 7.5 | 24 |
| 5.88 | 8 | 24.5 |
| 6.06 | 8.5 | 25 |
| 6.25 | 9 | 25.5 |
| 6.38 | 9.5 | 26 |
| 6.47 | 10 | 26.5 |
| 6.67 | 10.5 | 27 |
| 6.83 | 11 | 27.5 |
| 6.98 | 11.5 | 28 |
| 7.14 | 12 | 28.5 |
| 7.30 | 12.5 | 29 |
| 7.46 | 13 | 30 |
| 7.77 | 1 | 31 |
| 7.93 | 1.5 | 31.5 |
| 8.09 | 2 | 32.5 |
| 8.25 | 2.5 | 33 |
| 8.40 | 3 | 33.5 |
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Avoid Shoes with No Backing
Kids have poorer coordination that us adults so try and avoid shoes that have no backing as they can easily come off and they can keep tripping over things and they don’t provide much protection for kid’s feet.
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Shoes should be easy to put on
Younger kids and even some older kid’s battle with putting shoes on so try and avoid complicated shoes. Keep them as simple as possible. For example, kids can easily put on shoes with hook and loop systems as well as the ones that have the stretchy laces that do not have to be tied. Slip-on shoes may also work if they do not come off too easily.
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Get Shoes with Good Traction
In order to help children with their lack of coordination and help prevent falls, shoes with a decent amount of traction are a good buy. Look for shoes that have a patterned or textured sole.
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Look for Shoes with the right Sole
Research has shown that kids need more flexible soles as they still have small bones and soft tendons in their feet. Stiff soles can prohibit proper growth. There’s only one downside to not having stiff soles and that is the fact that they offer less support.
Buy soles based on your child’s age and activity level. If your child is very active, then they will need stiffer soles. Just make sure that you take off their shoes when they come indoors so that you lessen the amount of time that their feet are restricted.
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Look for Breathable Shoes
Look for shoes that are made with breathable materials such as canvas or ones with vents in them. Kids are high-energy and may play active games for hours on end. Their shoes should allow their feet to breathe and get some air.
At Angelibebe, we make shopping for shoes a dream as you can shop by size, colours, brands, price or new additions, taking the hassle out of shopping! Take a browse around our online store and find exactly what you’re looking for. You won’t regret it as you won’t have grumpy kids and you’ll have loads to choose from, all you need to do is get your kids to look at the pictures and see if they like them (depending on their age of course). Have fun shopping!
