How Long Should Shoes Last – How Many Pairs of Shoes Should Your Kid Have?
I work for a children’s shoe store and one of the most common questions that parents ask me is: How long should my kids’ shoes last? Children should always outgrow their shoes before they are ready to be replaced, but depending on your child’s age you should be getting ready to replace the shoes between 3 to 6 months. I will expand on this shortly.
How Long Should Kid’s Shoes Last?
Children are all different and they won’t hit their growth spurts at the same time. How long their shoes last will mostly depend on the age of the child. That being said, every child grows at a different rate but below you can find a set of guidelines so you can have an idea of how long your child’s shoes should last:
➡️ Between ages 1–3 you should be replacing shoes every 3 to 3 ½ months.
➡️ Between ages 3–6 you should be replacing shoes every 5 to 5 ½ months.
➡️ Between ages 6–10 you should be replacing shoes every 5 to 5 ½ months.
➡️ Between ages 11–18 you should be replacing shoes every 5 ½ to 6 months.
Keep in mind that children have unpredictable growth spurts and in some cases, they might go several months without any shoe changes and then suddenly grow a whole size or more. The guidelines above are just estimates and keep in mind that the older the child gets, the faster the shoes start wearing down.
Are Your Child’s Feet Growing Slowly?
You shouldn’t be concerned if your child’s feet are not growing as fast. If your child seems to grow at a faster rate than normal don’t be concerned either. I don’t want you to try to leave extra room just so that your child can wear the shoes for a longer period of time. Leaving extra room will create problems for your child’s feet such as compromising your kids’ stability and developing foot issues such as blisters, calluses, or corns.
Now let’s move on to answer the question about how many pairs of shoes your child should have.
How Many Pairs of Shoes Should Your Child Have?
Not every family can afford more than one pair of everyday shoes for their children. However, there are certain times of the year when your child will need a pair of seasonal shoes. Ideally, different types of shoes should be worn depending on the climate conditions and how active your child is.
Children can rotate their everyday sneakers with their seasonal footwear, and that would be a great thing to do! I provide a set of guidelines to give you an idea of how many shoes a child might need for the different seasons of the year.
During the summertime, I believe that children need 2 to 3 pairs of shoes:
- One pair of everyday sneakers —Yes, I know your child will spend most of his or her time in sandals, but they still need the support from a sneaker.
- One pair of water sandals —By water sandals I mean the kind that can get wet.
- One pair of flip flops or Crocs —These are good for walking on the beach or going to the swimming pool and coming back.
Optional:
- A pair of dressy sandals.
- A pair of rain boots.
- A pair of dress shoes.
During the wintertime, I believe that children need two to three pairs of shoes:
- A pair of everyday sneakers.
- A pair of insulated hiking boots.
Optional:
- One pair of snow boots.
- One pair of rain boots.
- A pair of dress shoes.
During back to school:
- A pair of sneakers.
- A pair of school shoes.
Optional:
- A pair of dress shoes.
I know it might seem like a lot of shoes for a growing child, but when you think about it, some of the shoes I mention are necessary for that particular season. For example, you wouldn’t want your kids’ feet to get too cold during the winter by not providing them with a pair of snow boots. At the same time, your child will need a pair of summer sandals to play on during those hot days.
Why Is Rotating Shoes Important?
Has your child ever come home from a rainy day with soaking wet shoes? The first thing they want to do is to take their shoes and socks off! Hopefully, your child will have a spare shoe that he/she can switch to!
One Pair of Sneakers for Your Child – Choose Them Wisely!
Most families provide their kids with one pair of everyday sneakers. You must always choose a good, supportive pair to provide everyday support to your child’s feet and legs. Waterproof sneakers are a great choice as they are versatile and can be used for multiple activities.
Benefits of Providing Your Child with Two Pairs of Sneakers
The benefits of providing your child with two pairs of sneakers and rotating the shoes are:
➡️ It will allow you to dry them out if they get wet. When people think about shoes getting wet they might think of a rainy day, but keep in mind that kids’ feet tend to sweat a lot and being able to air them or wash them will remove any sort of bacteria that might be building up in the shoe.
➡️ It will extend the life of the shoe by slowing down the breakdown process.
➡️ It will offer relief to sore foot muscles. By wearing the same shoe every day, we are overusing the same foot and leg muscles.
Remember that children’s feet grow at different rates as they grow up. Frequent checks and visits to your local kids’ shoe store will guarantee that your child is not wearing the wrong shoe size.
I like that you included some life expectancy of some shoes. It really depends on where you live and the quality of shoes you buy also. I would also consider repairing them if you have a pair you love.
Hello Kenneth,
You are correct that the life expectancy of the shoes directly depends on the quality of the shoes you buy.
children want to keep or wear many shoes.Nice images of shoes you have to publish here.i have also 5 pairs of shoes.your article is very interesting without any boring details.
Thank you James!
I’m 13 years old and shoes do not last any where near 5 1/2 months neither do my friends shoes , our shoes last around 1 1/2 months to max of 3 months if you kids feet grow slowly I went from a size 7.5 to a 10 which I am right now in about 5 months and no I am not kidding at the rate my feet grow and btw I’m 5’2 so rates of shoe size and speed of shoe size will depend of the height and sports you kid play and probs even weight
Hello Ethan,
Thank you for sharing your experience. If your shoes are lasting you a maximum of 3 months then you are definitely fitting them too short. If they are lasting you three months because the shoes fall apart then you might need to invest in a better made pair. Trust me when I tell you that I have helped thousands of children and the only age range that outgrows shoes between 3 months are the toddlers.
I know children can have growth spurs but that’s why we leave a certain amount of growing room in the shoes. Thank you for sharing your experience again!
This is some great information. I have a newborn on the way so this helps me out a bunch. Do you think it’d be better to have a more open toed shoe for a baby or should I go with an actual shoe. Also, what age should our new baby start wearing shoes regularly?
I will recommend an open toe shoe once they are fully stable.Keep in mind that parents like close toed shoes because it offers more protection. There is not a set age for a baby to start wearing shoes. You want your baby barefoot around the house, for healthy foot development. Once your baby is older, and you decide to take him or her to the playground, that’s when you will the shoes!
This is great information, I have three kids and feel like I am buying shoes every month! What do you think of Crocs? Do they offer enough support for children? Also, I usually buy Robeez for my baby, I was told that soft soled shoes are better for developing feet, is that true?
Emma,
I am sure shoe purchases add up when you have three children! I think Crocs are great, as long as they are worn for what they are meant to be (going to the swimming and coming back). I created a post about Crocs that might interest you:
Crocs For Children – Is Your Child In Danger When Wearing Crocs?
Soft soles shoes are what your child needs if he or she is learning how to walk. Keep your child barefoot at home, and have him or her wear the shoes only when you go outside! Here is another post about Robeez:
Robeez Baby Shoes- Shoes Or No Shoes?
Thank you for this valuable information! I have a little girl who is15 months old and I’m getting into the process of buying new shoes regularly, and not just because she outgrew them, but because she loses them.. my question is why do shoes generally cost the same with all sizes? my wife bought a pair of sandals and we bought a pair for my daughter, same price, but obviously my daughter’s is a lot smaller..
Jesse,
Shoes come in all different prices, and those prices are not a reflection of the quality of the shoe. I think your wife probably found a good deal on her sandals! If your wife wears a women size 8 1/2 or smaller, she can be saving a lot of money by buying the children version of the shoe. I explain this in a post I created:
Women and Kids Shoe Size Conversion Chart – Save Big Buying Kids’ Shoes!
There are three kids in our family plus two adults.Everyone tends to kick off their shoes as they come in the front door and leave them under the stairs to grab their indoor shoes/slippers. This leaves a huge pile of shoes that creeps out into the corrirod. I’ve now resorted to a big wooden bos to put shoes in – hoe storage is a problem, especially if everyone has 2 or 3 pairs of summer and 2 or 3 pairs of winter shoes. Any suggestions on how to keep them all tidy?
Dr. Sarah,
I believe it happens to most parents! Children will come after a long day at school and leave their shoes anywhere. People love this shoe storage system: Shoe Storage for Kids It is a well built, easy to assemble shoe storage that will keep all of your family shoes in the same palce!
This is useful information as I have been wondering about my daughters shoes. She is 21 months and we have kind of been working on 2-3 different shoes at a time. Often hard to predict when she will need a new pair as she seems to go for a while where not much growth happens, and the out of the blue, her toes are sticking out of her sandals! But, I think we are getting new shoes about every three months or so, so was good to have the confirmation of the rough timeline of when to get new shoes. Thanks for the info!
Liz,
It is normal to be replacing shoes for her between 3 1/2 to 4 months. Are you having her feet measured at a shoe store?
I found this post to be really insightful.
As a kid growing up I probably kept the same pair of shoes for a year or more. Basically the only time that I would ever get new shoes was when my feet could no longer physically fit into my old ones. But that being said, I agree with you in that they should probably be replaced more frequently than that.
As an adult, how long would you recommend we hold on to frequently used shoes now?
Alec,
Children usually need to replace shoes at least 2 to 3 times a year. As an adult, it depends if you are running or exercising in your shoes. Always look at the thread and the heel counter of the shoe, once these two start giving out, it’s time to replace your shoes!
I found this informative. I used to work with footwear and one of the most frustrating things I noticed was that people tend to wear their shoe for way too long. If the shoe is visibly worn and feels comfortable because the customer “broke it in years ago” then it’s too old and not providing the support. This is a great guide and Im hoping that parents can use this advice.
Rebeca,
I can relate to what you are saying. When it comes to children, they will keep wearing the shoes even if there are holes through them until the parents decide it is time to replace them. The problem with children wearing the shoes for too long, is that they have a hard time getting used to the new pair of shoes, since everything tends to feel tight on them.
Wow that’s a lot of shoes there. My child is coming due soon, and I was just thinking about the shoe problem. The reason is because children grow.
Shoe rotation definitely sounds important because it lets shoes rest without putting too much strain into it. However, I heard big name brands like Nike can actually last longer.
Maybe I should get a pair of nikes for my children every year then I can kind of reduce the hassle of changing her shoes every few months? What do you think?
Blame,
Just so you know, you will be replacing shoes three times a year for your child. When they are young, they will grow a size every 3 1/2 to 4 months. Even if we leave growing room, that is just how fast they grow! Nike does not make great shoes for children, there are other brands such as New Balance, Saucony, Stride RIte that they are much better quality than Nike. Let me know anytime you have a question!
Haha my girl has at least 6 pairs of shoes that she likes to wear on a daily basis (that’s all 6 every day at some point) then the boys have only 2 pairs each. School shoes, and other. i am always concerned with school shoes as they seem to wear out before they grow out of them. I just wait for holes in the sole before I buy a new pair. Is this bad?
Thanks for an interesting read, Kris
Kris,
She must be a fashionista! I see it at the store all the time how girls buy 2 or 3 pairs of shoes, and boys are fine with just 1 pair. I wouldn’t wait for holes to show up in order to replace the shoes, maybe you should be looking at a different brand or different style of shoe. I am glad that you found the post interesting!
Although I don’t have kids of my own, I have friends with kids and I see them quite often. Thank you for the shoe suggestions because now I know that they get switched around more often than I had thought. They would make great birthday or Christmas gifts!
How do you feel about the arguments that kids should not wear shoes for too long period of time vs adults because their feet are still growing? I think unless the show is on for days on end, it doesn’t really matter.
-Wing
Wing,
I actually agree with those claims, but only when the foot is still developing. We want young children to wear their shoes when they are out playing, but when they go inside the house, walking barefoot is best for foot development! Older children impose an enormous amount of stress on their feet and legs, wearing good supportive shoes will allow them to run and play without their feet or legs feeling tired.
ooo… thanks for the reply! I will definitely keep this in mind.
-Wing
My boys wear hokes through their tennis shoes every 5-6 weeks. Not sure how to change that. They never outgrow the else’s before the shoes wear out.
Trina,
Shoes shouldn’t wear out that fast. What type of shoe brands are you getting them? How old re your kids? I wrote a post where I describe the most affordable shoes for kids that provide the best quality. You can find that post here:
The Cheapest Kids’ Shoes – What Is the Price You Will Pay for Keeping Your Kids’ Feet Healthy?