Proper Shoe Fittings for Toddlers

Shoe Fittings for Toddlers
It all boils down to whether a shoe fits your toddler's foot well. The first step in buying toddler shoes is to have your child's foot sized by an expert.
"Go to a store that specializes in children's shoes and work with a knowledgeable salesperson to get a good fitting," Cox says.

There are three key areas of the foot that you should focus on when buying toddler shoes: the front of the shoe, the back, and the width. All three will play a part in whether or not the shoe fits properly.

"First, you want the appropriate length in the front of the shoe," says Tillett, who is also a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. "The general rule of thumb is you want about a centimeter to a half inch of space in the front of the shoe. Too big [and] they could be unstable; too small and it constrains the foot."

Width is also very important, Tillett says.
Kids' feet tend to be wider when they are younger, and as the foot grows, the length proportionately catches up to the width. So you want a shoe to accommodate a wider foot, and you need it to not be too restrictive or too tight through the arch.
"The key to making sure a shoe is the right width is to use the tongue of the shoe as a guide," Tillett says.
The tongue of the shoe and the edges where the laces or Velcro are usually located should be parallel; if there is too much space between them, the shoe maybe too tight, and if they overlap too much, the shoe is too loose, Tillett says.

Finally, the back of the shoe should offer some wiggle room as well.
"You want to make sure the heel of the shoe is not too loose so they slip out of it, and not too constricting that it puts strain on the Achilles tendon," Tillett says. "The rule of thumb here is that you should be able to slip your pinky finger in the heel, but only up to the first knuckle. Anything more than that and the shoe is too big, and anything less and it's too tight."

Tootsies Stride Rite has been fitting children shoes since 1985 in Richmond, Va. Over the past 25 years, we have properly fitted tens of thousands of children. We now bring that expertise to the internet. To visit our site, simply click on our web site name: Tootsies Stride Rite

Tips for Buying the Best Toddler Shoes

Tips for Buying the Best Toddler Shoes:
When your toddler becomes mobile, protecting his or her feet requires Mom and Dad know a thing or two about buying the best toddler shoes.

Here is some advice from the experts on navigating the baby shoe market:

Hard soled vs. soft: Just like adult shoes, toddler shoes with soles that are too soft can cause slips and falls. "You want a shoe with a little bit of a sole, to minimize accidents," Cox says. "Usually, a leather or rubber sole will help provide the traction your toddler needs."
Sneakers vs. boots: "Sneakers are good because they generally don't constrain the foot and allow for proper development," says Steven G. Tillett, DPM, a foot and ankle specialist in Portland, Ore. Also, sneakers are usually constructed out of canvas and pliable leather, allowing the shoe to mold to a child's foot for a good fit, he explains.

Cheap vs. expensive: "For young children who are just learning to walk, inexpensive shoes are OK," Cox says. The key is not so much cost -- it's that the shoe fits.

Open-toed vs. closed: "Open-toed shoes don't offer a lot of foot protection for a child just learning to walk, so closed-toed shoes are generally better," Cox says. And the same goes for shoes like Crocs -- kids can easily trip on these types of shoes if they're just learning to walk and not entirely stable, so hold off on these until around age 2 or later, Cox says.

New vs. used: Although it might be tempting to use hand-me-down shoes from friends or family to save a few bucks, this is one area that requires you buy new. "Kids' shoes mold to their feet," Cox says. "If you use a hand-me-down pair of shoes, you are forcing your child's foot into a shoe that has already molded to the shape of someone else's foot, which means your toddler could end up with blisters."

Tootsies Stride Rite has been fitting children shoes since 1985 in Richmond, Va. Over the past 25 years, we have properly fitted tens of thousands of children. We now bring that expertise to the internet. To visit our site, simply click on our web site name: Tootsies Stride Rite

Boy White Black Saddle Shoes

Since 1917, the Willit Shoe Company has been manufacturing and distributing children shoes in the United States. Based in Halifax, Pennsylvania, Willit's Shoe Company gained a solid reputation for high quality all-leather footwear. That reputation and original dedication to detail, quality and service was responsible for the company's growth over the years. Willits is a Children's Footwear Supplier offering traditional children’s shoe styles that range in sizes from toddler sizes to child size 12.

From this company, we offer our traditional white/black saddle oxford with matching saddle stitch featuring a full-grain leather upper, quarter leather lining and flexible slab outsole. The white/black saddle is the ideal toddler shoe for that short pant formal outfit you purchased for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The white/black saddle shoe is available in sizes toddler 5 to child 12 in medium, wide and extra-wide widths. In fitting this shoe in our Stride Rite retail store since 1985, we know that this shoe runs large. Please order sizes smaller than your child's current sneaker size, typically ½ of a shoe size smaller than a sneaker size, for the best fit.

You can order the white/black saddle shoe online by clicking on Tootsies Stride Rite, or by calling us toll free at 1-866-235-0626.