Baby Walking Shoes: Must Have for Your Little

When you are looking to buy infant walking shoes there are several things you need to take into consideration. Remember that these are the first shoes that your child will be wearing and therefore they need to be chosen carefully so that they are comfortable and easy for your child to walk in.

Make sure the shoes are not too heavy. You cannot expect your infant to walk in heavy shoes or boots when they first start to walk. The extra weight of the shoes will make walking harder, and in those first stages of walking you want to make it as easy as possible for your child to encourage them to keep going with it. Ideal first shoes are light canvas shoes that are not only light in weight but also easy to put on and off.

Choose shoes that aren't too stiff. They need to be able to bend with the child’s foot so that they make walking more natural for them. The sole needs to bend at the right place - by where the toes bend, rather than in the middle. It also helps if they grip well on the heel so they don't slip, so make sure that you get the right size for them. You don't need to go to a specialist shoe fitter to do this, just try on different sizes on their foot and let them walk around. Make sure their toes aren't squashed by feeling their feet in the shoes and look at the back of their feet as they walk to make sure they aren't slipping off.

When a child first starts walking they need to walk in bare feet a lot. Therefore make sure that they don't wear their infant walking shoes too much. They don't need to wear them indoors at all and make sure that if they fall asleep they are removed so that the feet can relax. Practicing walking at home with shoes isn't necessary.

Don't expect the infant walking shoes to last long. Either they will get scuffed quickly due to your child not walking that well on them, or the child will quickly grow out of them. Make sure that you check them for size regularly.

Shoes can come with laces, Velcro or elastic. Try to choose a pair that can be easily adjusted for your child’s foot. Some Velcro shoes can't be tightened enough, and elastic shoes maybe too loose or tight. Laces are good as they can hold the shoe on securely but can be tricky if you want your child to put their shoes on and off themselves. 

So make sure that your child’s infant walking shoes are light and flexible to ensure that they are the most effective shoes for them at these early stages of walking. Most importantly make sure they are well fitted and that you do not' put shoes on your child when they don't need to be wearing them. They only need them on when they are walking outside. If they are in the car, pushchair or the house they don't need to wear shoes.