Buying Shoes for Toddlers
Amanda Ezman is like a lot of moms when it comes to shoe shopping. Buying a pair of shoes for herself is fun and focused on fashion; shoe shopping for her 2-year-old daughter, Lilah, requires function to come first.
"When Lilah started crawling and standing, I wanted her to feel her feet and sense of balance, so I went with a softer pair of shoes," says Ezman, who lives in Oneida, N.Y. "And then when she started walking, I wanted her to have protection and stability, so I went with something a little sturdier, like a sneaker."
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Ezman's approach to buying shoes for toddlers is right on track. But for many parents, finding the best toddler shoes isn't so easy. WebMD asked experts to offer advice on shoe shopping for your little wanderer.
Age-Appropriate Footwear
Although putting your 3-month-old in a pair of patent leather Mary Jane's is OK for a special occasion, shoes are best left off your baby's feet in the beginning.
"Babies' feet just aren't built for shoes," says Joanne Cox, MD, associate chief of general pediatrics at Children's Hospital in Boston.
Their feet have little bones, muscles, and tendons that need to grow and benefit from exercise, she says, and that can be difficult if they're constantly scrunched in a pair of shoes.
It's not until they are pulling to stand on their own two feet or actually walking -- generally around age 1 -- that babies need a little more protection.
"Before that, socks will do just fine," Cox tells WebMD.
Tips for Buying the Best Toddler Shoes
When your toddler becomes mobile, protecting his or her feet requires Mom and Dad know a thing or two about buying the best toddler shoes.
Here is some advice from the experts on navigating the baby shoe market:
Hard soled vs. soft: Just like adult shoes, toddler shoes with soles that are too soft can cause slips and falls. "You want a shoe with a little bit of a sole, to minimize accidents," Cox says. "Usually, a leather or rubber sole will help provide the traction your toddler needs."
Sneakers vs. boots: "Sneakers are good because they generally don't constrain the foot and allow for proper development," says Steven G. Tillett, DPM, a foot and ankle specialist in Portland, Ore. Also, sneakers are usually constructed out of canvas and pliable leather, allowing the shoe to mold to a child's foot for a good fit, he explains.
Cheap vs. expensive: "For young children who are just learning to walk, inexpensive shoes are OK," Cox says. The key is not so much cost -- it's that the shoe fits.
Open-toed vs. closed: "Open-toed shoes don't offer a lot of foot protection for a child just learning to walk, so closed-toed shoes are generally better," Cox says. And the same goes for shoes like Crocs -- kids can easily trip on these types of shoes if they're just learning to walk and not entirely stable, so hold off on these until around age 2 or later, Cox says.
New vs. used: Although it might be tempting to use hand-me-down shoes from friends or family to save a few bucks, this is one area that requires you buy new. "Kids' shoes mold to their feet," Cox says. "If you use a hand-me-down pair of shoes, you are forcing your child's foot into a shoe that has already molded to the shape of someone else's foot, which means your toddler could end up with blisters."
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