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Good Shoes for Children

A child's foot health is largely connected to the type of shoes he wears. Children's feet are still growing and developing. Shoes that bind feet, leave little room for flexibility or provide too much support do not allow for proper development of foot bones and muscles. The best children's shoes closely mimic the bare foot.

  1. Soft and Flexible

    • Shoes that are equipped with soft and flexible soles provide protection without jeopardizing the development of strong foot muscles and balance. A soft and flexible sole allows children to feel as if they are walking barefoot. Soft Star Shoes have toddler and youth sizes available in sandals, shoes, boots and moccasins. Robeez carries soft-soled shoes available in infant and toddler sizes. Lapsaky, an organic and natural line, carries toddler and youth sizes in soft-soled snow boots. Choosing a soft-soled shoe is important for stability, muscle strength and bone development.

    Nonslip

    • Safety is a number-one concern for many parents buying shoes for their child. Shoes that have nonslip soles are important, especially when a child is participating in an indoor sport. Suede, cow leather and thin rubber are all excellent materials for nonslip shoes. Saucony and Asics are two sneakers that offer nonslip rubber soles that are still flexible. Pedipeds are made of high-quality cow leather, giving the shoe traction without stiffness. New Balance 630 is a podiatrist-approved sneaker with a rubber sole for running and everyday wear. Pedipeds are suitable for wearing outside as well as inside, but they do not have enough support for participating in sports.

    Breathable Materials

    • Children's feet perspire, especially when children are active. Breathable and natural materials are best for the comfort of your child's foot. Keen makes shoes of all kinds for infants, toddler and youths. All of Keen's shoes, sandals and boots are made from breathable materials such as mesh, natural canvas and natural rubber.

    Wide and Roomy

    • Children's feet are not fully developed, and toddlers and young children often have wide feet. For this reason, and so that children's toes have room to wiggle and stretch, good children's shoes should be deep and wide in the toe area. This ensures that children's feet will develop properly and be free of bunions and callouses. Shoes such as Acorn moccasins, Pedipeds and Keen Maybell shoes are wider in the toe for more wiggle room. Children who can move their toes also tend to have better balance and mobility.

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