Five things to remember when choosing a child’s first pair of shoes

There is a lot more to choosing your little one’s first pair of shoes than picking out a colour and design that they like.

For those who are maybe unsure about where to start, Alison McGrath, owner of My First Steps - Ireland’s first children’s footwear superstore - has given parents some key advice to follow.

The first step is knowing when is the right time to buy their first pair of shoes

According to Alison: “Firstly, it goes without saying that it can vary vastly from one child to another. However, if they are up on their feet, and keen to explore different surfaces, we want to protect those little toes, either with a professionally fitted pre-walker or a first walking shoe. 

“A prewalker is an important first step (pardon the pun) as we want them to build up their muscles, gain confidence and fully engage their balance and coordination. 

“A first walking shoe, gives extra support and stability to the foot to ensure the right step every time, promoting great foot health, joint support and comfort. A first walking shoe is recommended once walking is established for at least 4-6 weeks,” Alison says.

The next key question is ‘what makes a shoe good?’ 

Clever brand marketing and endless information online can make choosing their first pair of shoes a minefield of confusion.

To make things simple, Alison has broken it down into these five tips:

Look for paediatric and podiatrist-approved brands: these researched shoe designs will be incredibly considered and ensure an optimal shoe adapted to the true needs of a constantly growing foot.

A top recommendation from Alison is that Biomecanics and Froddo are excellent first shoe brands.

Get the right fit: Getting shoes professionally fitted is a must as no two children's feet are ever the same. An expert fitter will consider the length, width and depth of each foot, as well as toe spread, ankle width and gait of the child to choose the most ideal fit with a little growing room for your little one.

Choose for lifestyle, not just for style: Think about where your child will wear these new shoes, how active they may be and if it will be their only pair of shoes. Once in a store it can be easy to get distracted by a clean white trainer or a sparkly pink mary jane style shoe but is it really practical?

Alison's top tip here is that toe bumpers are designed to protect not only the toes but the front of the shoes that will certainly prolong that 'just bought’ look.

Do the flex test: Look for soles that are flexible, yet durable and supportive. They can be more rigid around the heel, but should bend at the ball of the foot, allowing for natural movement while providing stability, this will provide optimal foot health for their rapidly growing feet.

Quality and Convenience: Leather shoes are always a top pick for your little one’s all day adventures, they will be easier to clean and more importantly allow the feet to breath while being naturally water resistant, keeping feet dry and comfortable.

Another top tip from Alison is to select shoes with velcro fastenings for extra speed when wrangling wriggly toes.

Alison is one of five women entrepreneurs in Ireland recently awarded a €10,000 grant and year of coaching as part of this year’s She’s Next, Empowered by Visa programme, a global campaign created by Visa to help women entrepreneurs take their business to the next level.

My First Steps provide friendly, informative guidance to parents and caregivers about children’s footwear. 

Visit My First Steps at in-store locations in Ennis Co. Clare and Galway City, or go online at www.myfirststeps.ie.

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