What Are Good Walking Shoes for Babies?
- Many considerations go into buying baby's first pair of shoes.first steps image by jedphoto from Fotolia.com
When babies first learn to walk, it's time to start thinking about her first pair of real shoes. It's important to let baby walk around barefoot when inside, as this helps them build coordination and strength in their feet and legs. Shoes help to protect babies precious feet from hazards such as splinters, sharp rocks, or glass, but there are certain things to look for when making this important purchase. - A sneaker or other type of shoe with a breathable upper, such as canvas, soft leather, or cloth, is the best choice for a first shoe. They are lightweight, and avoid the issue of sweaty feet. It's also important to get a shoe with flexible soles that grip well, instead of a shoe with a stiffer sole. A rubber sole with ridges offers good traction for sidewalks or rocky areas. A good brand of shoe with a flexible sole are shoes from the company Pediped. The soles of these shoes are flexible, and they have a soft leather upper.
- It's important to choose a first shoe that allows enough room for baby's toes to wiggle freely, so they are not too tight. Shoes that are too tight or don't fit right otherwise will hinder normal foot development and walking. For babies just learning to walk, square-toed shoes work best. The baby and child shoe company Stride Rite has some styles of shoes that are slightly square-toed, and offer support as well as traction.
- Though it's not necessary to buy high-top sneakers for baby's first shoe, they do tend to stay on better and may offer stronger ankle support in wobbly first-time walkers. The shoe company KEEN offers some variety of high top walking shoes for babies, that offer other good supports as well. It is important to choose a walking shoe with a strong heel and good support over the front of baby's foot, with approximately a thumb width of room for the feet to grow.
