My baby is moving from sitting up to crawling around, should we be looking for shoes?

Based on our 25 years in the children's shoe industry, we believe that it’s important to keep your baby barefoot as much as possible during their early crawling and cruising stages so they can grip the ground move freely. However, baby shoes become necessary when the terrain is uneven, too hot, or too cold. And socks, even though they will keep your baby's feet warm, don't give the proper support or are too slippery in some cases to be effective. Baby's footwear sould be soft and flexibe and imitate bare feet. Stride Rite has developed a line of Stride Rite infant shoes that many moms have utilized for baby's first steps. For more information on Stride Rite shoes, visit our web site by clicking on our store name, Tootsies Stride Rite.

Does My Stride Rite Baby Shoe Need Arch Supports?

NO! Infants do not need arch supports in their shoes. Why? Infants do not start developing arches until 2-3 years old, so arches in baby shoes are not necessary. That is why our Stride rite infant shoes, developed under our S.T.E.P. system has been developed. Infants need soft flexible footwear with properly placed support pads to assist them in developing the proper walking gait. This will reduce over time the probability that stress will develop in your child's ankles, knees, back and hip that will possibly result in injuries in your child's 20's or 40's, if not sooner.

For more information about Stride Rite shoes, visit our web site by clicking on our store name, Tootsies Stride Rite, or call us at 1-866-235-0626.

Stride Rite Q & A: Should my child be barefoot when learning to walk?

It’s really important that little feet are able to grip the ground with their toes as they begin to develop bone and muscle in the foot. Your baby can best accomplish this while barefoot but, being barefoot is not always practical. Foot coverings are important when the baby is outside and/or when the ground they are walking on is hot, cold or uneven. When infant shoes are required, flexibility and a soft and thin outsole are key.

Here at Stride Rite, we have developed a new walking technology called Sensory Response Technology. Please check out our line of shoes starting with our all white Stride Rite infant shoes, the SRT Grayson. Please check out our Stride Rite shoe lines at our online store, Tootsies Stride Rite