The Best Place to Buy Kids’ Shoes – Avoid Stride Rite, Nordstrom, Payless…
Have you ever taken your children to be fitted for shoes at big retailers such as Nordstrom, Stride Rite, or Payless and ended up with the wrong shoe size? The best place to buy kids’ shoes is your specialized local children’s shoe store, but the issue is that most of these stores have closed down. For this reason, I will show you a virtual shoe fitting service I created that has been helping families find the perfect pair of shoes for their children online.
Be Careful About Fitting Your Child in the Wrong Shoe Size
Wearing the wrong shoe size or the wrong shoe style can lead to several foot issues such as blisters, calluses, or corns, as well as foot and leg pain. Keeping your kids’ feet and legs healthy is really important, and by investing in the correct type of shoes you will end up saving a lot of time and money in the future.
Do You Have a Specialized Children’s Shoe Store in Your Area?
Start by taking a look at a resource I created where I showcase the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state. If you can’t seem to find any shoe stores in your area then I suggest you use the resource below.
Virtual Shoe Fitting Service
I developed the most effective way to determine your child’s exact foot size from your home and will personally assist you with a custom fitting tailored to your child’s individual needs. This easy-to-follow method allows parents to accurately determine:
- Correct length, width (narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide), and instep height
- Identify possible foot conditions such as flat feet or misaligned heels
1️⃣ Step 1: Measuring Your Child’s Exact Foot Length
- Make sure that your child is standing straight and measure both feet, as one foot might be bigger than the other one. You should measure up to the tip of your child’s longest toe, which doesn’t necessarily have to be the big toe — it may in fact be the second or even the third toe. Make sure that your child is not curling the toes.
- Make a note of that measurement in centimeters or inches or email me the image showing the measurements (such as you see below) to avoid confusion with the measurements.
We will input your child’s foot measurements in the standard foot measuring tool (Brannock device) to retrieve your child’s exact foot length.
2️⃣ Step 2: Pictures of Your Child’s Foot Width
The pictures below will help me determine whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. Also, the pictures will help me see whether your child has a high instep and additional information such as whether your child has flat feet or not. Below you can find examples of how the pictures should look like:
This image helps determine whether your child is flat footed and whether your child has a high instep or not.
This image helps determine whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.
This image helps determine whether your child has rolled ankles or not.
Please note that I won’t need the measurements of your child’s foot width, the images will be sufficient to help me determine whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.
➡️ Recap – What to Include in Your Email
- Your child’s foot length measurements (or an image of their foot length measurements)
- Three images of your child’s feet (see example images above)
- The country you live in case you need specific shoe recommendations
Feel free to include in your email any additional information I should know about your child’s feet:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Looking for Specific Shoe Recommendations?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you would like to receive specific shoe recommendations tailored to your child’s unique foot shape.
Avoid Shopping for Shoes at Big Retailers – Here’s Why!
The salespeople who work there are not properly trained to fit shoes. Most of the shoe brands that they carry are not even available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), or extra wide (XW).
I can’t tell you the number of children that come to the store I work for wearing the wrong pair of shoes or the wrong shoe size. It is hard for me to believe that someone would fit a child —who often can’t speak up when they are in discomfort— in a pair of shoes that don’t fit, just to make a sale. The level of irresponsibility from these shoe stores is so unbelievable that I felt obligated to reach out to parents and let them know that they need to stop taking their kids to be fitted for shoes at these retail stores!
The next time you need to buy shoes for your kids, do it in a place that you trust!
Mi nombre es Enrique Valderrama mi hija Maite Valderrama necesita unos zapatos de talla especial para mi nieto Aitor de 6 años de edad nosotros vivimos en Dover NewJersey pero podemos ir a cualquier sitio que nos recomiende +1 ( 973) 951-7234 WhatsApp gracias por su publicación ayuda muchísimo y da una esperanza para El Niño un millón de gracias señor Valenzuela
Hola Enrique,
Le recomiendo que me contacte con un email: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
El primer paso que recomiendo es seguir las instrucciones en este articulo: How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width
Hi there. I am in the DFW area in Texas. Does anyone know of a store in this area? I am not finding any non-chain stores. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Hello Liz,
I don’t know about any local family shoe store in your area, but hopefully someone from your area will respond to your comment. It has happened in other posts I wrote that people ask about local shoe stores in their area and other people will get back at them!
Do you know of any children shoes store in the Houston area? We use to have one In Beaumont, but it closed
Hello Amy,
Take a look at this map I created where I describe the best fitting children’s shoe stores by state: The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores in the United States – Where to go for Proper Fittings
Hello Juan,
Thank you for this article. It is very informative. Many of these issues is my concern as well.
I have taken my daughter to Stride Rite (when they were open) to have her fitted. The staff gave me ambiguous information that left me more confused.
Now I have learned from you that what we really need is to seek out a local children’s shoe store. I don’t know of any in my area. Where are you located?
Thanks,
Naomi
Hello Naomi,
The children’s shoe store that I work for is located in Potomac, Maryland. It’s sad to see so many fitting shoe stores going out of business. I hope you can find a place that you can trust taking your kids to have their feet measured.
This website it great! I have 2 toddlers and my eldest has wide feet so it has been difficult to shop for him online. You have provided some great resources and now that summer is coming I will be reading up on flip-flops. Do you have any recommendations regarding children flip-flops for wide feet?
Hello Mercedes,
I actually created a post where I describe the best flip flops for kids’ and the styles that will fit a child with a wide foot. You can find that post here: Flip Flops For Kids – The Best Styles For Your Kids’ Feet!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank you, I will check it out!
Hi Juan,
I am so glad that I read this informative article on the importance of proper fit for childrens’ shoes! I was unaware of the many problems that could arise from incorrect sizing. I love that your solution to shop local. It is so important to promote local and small businesses. Now I know that by doing so I am also giving my son the best care. I also really appreciate that you took the time to share the best pricing options. This article has been very informative. I feel more confident in purchasing my son’s next pair of shoes now. Thank you!
Katie,
I am glad that you found the post informative! I always recommend parents to take their kids’ to their local children’s shoe store to have their feet properly measured and their shoes properly fitted. Don’t hesitate to contact me any time you have a specific question!
Hey Juan
I don’t have a local shoe store so we are going about 100km to our capital city. But up to now – I must admit I didn’t pay such an attention to the fitting of shoe. We usually went to some big sports shoe shop and the only thing that the sales person asked our kid – do you feel the shoes fit you? But as understood from your website – shoe fitting is much more than this.
Besides that, I recently watched some boradcast on children shoes and there was mentioned that kids don’t feel if the shoe is too small when they try it on. So this is definitely not the right method of fitting the shoes. Do you know where I can find extra wide shoes for my child? I can’t seem to find them at our local stores or online.
Arta,It’s awesome how you travel that far to make sure your kid’ shoes fit! However, if you are travelling that far to take your kids’ to be fitted at sports shoe shops where they don’t really know how to measure or fit kids’ shoes, you are wasting your time! Feel free to drop me a message anytime you are not 100% sure your kids’ shoes fit.Here you can find the best shoes for a child that has an extra wide foot: Extra Wide Shoes for Kids
Hello Juan Pablo
Thanks for your tips on the best places to buy kids shoes.Buying kids shoes can be a real hassle, what with crowded shops, kids saying yes it`s a good fit with every pair they try, always wanting the ones you feel are not good.
Many kids do not know their size, or just excited about new shiny shoes and settle for the wrong size which leads to foot and toes paid, but having then fitted properly can take care of this.
Parents just have to know where/which shops will do proper fitting so as to get it right. Which is the best online store to get shoes for kids? Quality and affordable ones!
Hello Roamy,
I always recommend to parents to take their kids’ to be properly fitted for shoes at their local kids’ shoe store. If you don’t have a local kids’ shoe store, here you can learn about the best place to buy your kids’ shoes online: Kids Shoes On Amazon-Is Amazon The Best Place To Buy Your Kid’s Shoes?
Hello Juan,
I just viewed your article on children’s shoes and realized the importance that shoes have in keeping our kids’ feet healthy. I always used to buy the least expensive ones.
How are the shoes on your website for long wear for active boys? My kids are destroying their shoes before they outgrown them and it’s starting to get really frustrating. Do you have a selection of good lasting shoes? Where can I get them online? I don’t have any kids’shoe stores I trust in my area… HELP
Several parents have contacted me asking about durable shoes for their kids’. Your child should always outgrow his or her shoes before anything happens to them! I actually wrote a post about the most durable shoe brand for kids’ where I describe the most durable shoes. You can find that post here: The Best Shoe Brands For Kids- The 5 Most Durable And Affordable Brands
I also wrote a post about where to find the best kids’ shoes online here: Kids Shoes On Amazon-Is Amazon The Best Place To Buy Your Kid’s Shoes?
You have some really great information here for parents! It is so important for kids to have shoes that fit properly. I knew they could get blisters and foot pain but I didn’t realize all the other problems ill fitting shoes could cause. Children’s feet are still growing and they do need shoes that are properly fitted. Too many kids are given second hand shoes passed down from older siblings and this too can be very bad for their feet.
I told my daughter to stop taking her kids’ to shoe stores in the mall because they always end up having blisters from their shoes! I agree that parents must stop taking their kids’to be fitted for shoes there!
Hello Margaret,
The issue is that most local family owned kids’ shoe store are disappearing. It is hard to compete against big retailers and the Internet. We are lucky to be one of the most popular children’s shoe store in the country that specializes with children that have foot issues.
Please feel free to message me anytime you have specific questions about your grandkids shoes!