It’s nearly time for nursery and school to start – time for new children’s shoes. For many parents, buying them is a nightmare. Here’s how to make it child’s play.
The Austrian research team “Children’s Feet – Children’s Shoes” has summarized the most common questions from parents in a handy reference sheet.
1. Tip: Don’t rely on shoe sizes.
Research shows that more than 90% (!) of shoe sizes are labeled with the wrong size. The shoes are almost always shorter in length than they should be.
2. Tip: There must be at least 12 mm of space (½ inch) at the toe.
Feet need this space when moving. If it’s missing, the toes suffer. 12 mm (½ inch) sounds like a lot, but it’s only the width of the tip of an adult’s little finger. This applies to slippers too, of course. New shoes can even have 17 mm (¾ inch) of space (the width of a thumb).
3. Tip: Always measure the foot length and the inside length of the shoes.
It sounds complicated, but it’s quick and easy to do. A strip of cardboard is all you need: Link „How do you measure shoes yourself?“ https://kinderfuesse.com/en/questions-answers/
If buying shoes online, ask the shop for the inside length.
4. Tip: Children can’t tell if their shoes fit.
An interesting experiment showed that children will even describe shoes that are four sizes too small as fitting.
5. Tip: Don’t be afraid to re-use hand-me-down shoes.
Hand-me-down shoes are a sensible alternative from both an economical and environmental perspective, as long as they are not worn down unevenly and are at least 12-17 mm (½– ¾ inch) longer than the child’s feet.
6. Tip: Socks should fit properly too.
Most socks are far too short and too tight. Place the socks next to your child’s feet: the length of the sole of the socks should be roughly the same as the length of their feet. And the wider the socks are at the toes, the better for their feet.
7. Tip: Going barefoot is best.
A surprise for the research team during a study in Japan. There, children in nursery have to walk barefoot. Their toes are much less likely to be crooked. Link to the study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424280.2020.1853826
Therefore: walking barefoot at home is the best way to give your feet a break from shoes and socks.