How to Buy Shoes for Babies – Let’s Keep your Babies’ Feet Healthy!
Is your baby ready to start walking? The first pair of walking shoes is the most important one as it helps babies take those first steps with confidence. I always recommend that parents have their babies’ feet measured at their local specialized children’s shoe store, as these stores hire shoe fitters that know how to fit babies’ shoes properly. The issue is that most independent children’s shoe stores have been closing down, and parents don’t know where to take their babies to be properly fitted for shoes.
If you identify with this, start by taking a look at a resource I created where I describe the best children’s shoe stores by state. These are actually fitting shoe stores, not big retail stores.
If you still can’t seem to find a local children’s shoe store in your area then let’s keep on reading, as I will show you the most effective way to figure out your baby’s foot size from home.
It’s extremely important that you fit your baby’s first pair of shoes correctly as they play a key role in helping your baby take those first steps with confidence. If you don’t fit your baby in the correct pair of shoes in the correct shoe size, you might end up creating all sorts of issues with your baby’s feet such as blisters, calluses, or corns.
It seems like this generation of parents doesn’t put the same emphasis on the importance of well fitted shoes as the former ones. Why is it so important to get the correct shoe size for your baby? Because the shoes that you choose for your baby can and will affect their overall foot, leg, and back health.
Do you want to know what is the most common mistake that parents make when trying to find the correct shoe size for their babies? They assume that the size that their babies’ feet measured on the foot measuring scale automatically translates into their baby’s shoe size.
The main reason why this is the wrong way of finding your baby’s correct shoe size is that shoes can fit short, long, narrow, or wide, and depending on how they fit then you need to adjust the size that you get for your baby. Makes sense?
The size that your babies measure on the shoe measuring scale is only a starting point when trying to find the correct pair of shoes for them.
Did you know that most babies have wide or extra wide feet?
Babies are still growing, developing, and working on their coordination. The right type of shoes helps protect their feet and help them take those first steps with confidence.
Let me show you how to buy shoes for babies in case you don’t have a local children’s shoe store in your area that you trust. To order your baby’s correct shoe size online, you need to know your baby’s exact foot size first.
Getting the Correct Shoe Size for Your Baby!
I developed the most effective way to determine your baby’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:
➡️ Their baby’s correct length, width (narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide), and instep height
➡️ Identify possible foot conditions such as flat feet or misaligned heels
Did you know that the volume of the foot also plays an important role when finding the correct type of shoes? The volume is the total amount of foot that is to fit inside the shoe. For example, some babies’ feet are thin and bony, while others are stocky and muscular. All these different types of feet might measure the same length and width, but will fit and feel different in the same shoe because of the difference in volume they put inside the shoe!
Sounds complicated, doesn’t it?
Don’t worry! I will show you the best fitting shoes for babies that I have fitted before. These shoe styles provide all the features a baby needs to start taking those first steps with confidence.
The baby shoes that I describe below come with rounded edges which help decrease stumbles and falls. These features also allow your babies’ toes to freely move inside the shoes and help them balance. These shoes also provide important sensory information from the soles.
The Best Baby Shoes
Below you can find the deepest baby shoes that come with the roundest toe-boxes for babies with medium (M), wide (W) or extra wide (XW) feet and high insteps. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.
Boys
- Shoe style SRT SM Artie by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Rounded edges to decrease stumbles and falls
- APMA approved and built for first-time walkers
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style 2510 Racer by Tsukihoshi
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Heel stabilizer provides lateral stability
- Removable insoles
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your baby’s foot size (shoe fits long)
- Shoe style Wes by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Seamless construction cradle the baby’s natural shape
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SM Adamby Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Seamless construction cradle the baby’s natural shape
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles
- Foam padding placed around the ankle collar and under the tongue for an incredibly comfortable fit and feel
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Stevie II by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Rubber outsole is flexible yet durable and provides the needed traction for first steps
- Padded heel and tongue keeps the baby’s feet comfortable
- Wide openings make on and off quick and easy
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Martin by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Seamless construction cradle the baby’s natural shape
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles
- Oversized opening and pull tab on the back offer easy on and off
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Kennedy by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Seamless construction that cradles the foot’s natural shape
- APMA approved
- Oversized opening for easy-on
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SM Zip Runner by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
Girls
- Shoe style SM Adalyn by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Zips Runner by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Padded tongue and collar
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Susie Mary Jane by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Black patent leather upper with full leather lining and insole
- Awarded the Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Soft Motion Baby by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Stevie II by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Rubber outsole is flexible yet durable and provides the needed traction for first steps
- Padded heel and tongue keeps the baby’s feet comfortable
- Wide openings make on and off quick and easy
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Thompson by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Soft Motion Baby by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Over-sized opening for easy on/off
- APMA approved and built for first-time walkers
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style StevieII by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Rubber outsole is flexible yet durable and provides the needed traction for first steps
- Padded heel and tongue keeps the baby’s feet comfortable
- Wide openings make on and off quick and easy
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
Make Sure your Babies’ Shoes Fit – Get it Right!
You might think I am exaggerating, but there are 4 steps you must follow to make sure that your baby gets the correct shoe size.
1️⃣ Length Fit: Allow approximately 3/16 of an inch or 0.4 centimeters of space between your baby’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
2️⃣ Tip of the Little Toe: Make sure the little toe is not pressed against the side of the shoes, as this can cause corns or blisters.
3️⃣ Instep Fit: The instep is the top part of the foot. Always check for any tight fit around this area, and make sure there are no marks on your babies’ feet when you remove your babies’ shoes. This can happen especially with fat/fleshy or stocky/muscular feet.
4️⃣ Heel Fit: Make sure the heel of the foot fits snugly without any heel slip.
If these 4 points check out properly, your baby will have a good fit! I assure you that this is really hard to do, and that is why you need to take your baby to your local children’s shoe store to have their feet properly measured.
Here you can find a video that I created where you will be able to visualize how to make sure your babies’ shoes are fitting correctly.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you have any further questions or if you need a different pair of shoes for your child. My e-mail address is:
Do you have a good children’s shoe store in your area that you trust? Is there a specific method you use to figure out your kids’ foot size from home? Please share your thoughts and experiences below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
