Can a toddler's shoes be a little too loose? We dispel doubts!

How much looseness should there be in a child's shoes?

Soft, plump and extremely charming. Baby feet! Many mothers can't get enough of them. During the first two years, bones are forming and changing in size by about half a size every two months!

This is quite an expense for any parent. Some people, afraid of damaging their household budget, decide to buy slightly too loose shoes for their child. After all, these little feet grow at an alarmingly fast rate!

Are you wondering how much looseness should be in children's shoes? You are in the right place, because this guide will dispel all your doubts!

We debunk myths!

Children's shoes should be too loose MYTH! Crawling, rolling, jumping, climbing, walking and even running are activities that require appropriate support.

Of course, to ensure this, it is necessary to have a caring adult who will protect the child who is discovering the world from harming himself. However, it is equally important that your child is accompanied by... appropriately selected footwear. It is what supports its proper development at every step.

Shoes that are too big can do more harm than good, and although your household budget will not seem to suffer, the losses can be much worse because they affect the child.

Why is the right insole length important?

Remember that little children's feet are constantly developing. If your toddler wears ill-fitting shoes for a long time, be prepared for unpleasant side effects and even damage that will probably accompany him for the rest of his life. In particular: 

• pain
• blisters
• irritations
• prints
• bruises
• blood circulation problems
• permanent foot deformation 

Sounds scary, right? Fortunately, a well-chosen insert length should solve the problem. Don't forget to ensure that the shoes are properly designed. We provide details later in the guide.

How to choose shoes that will enable the proper development of children's feet?

There are several aspects you need to pay attention to if you want to make sure that your child's shoes will not interfere with the proper development of his feet. 

First, size. Before you start choosing specific models and styles, make sure you know the correct size of your toddler's foot. Keep in mind that these tiny feet may change in size every two months, so check regularly to make sure your child's shoes fit perfectly. We wrote about selecting the size of children's shoes in: this article. 

Secondly, width. The length of the insert is not everything. It is equally important that children's shoes do not press the sides of the feet. If your toddler has relatively chubby, wide feet, look for shoes with a wide upper. Don't compromise when your child's feet are narrow and slim. Choose shoes that are not too loose. Pay special attention to laces or Velcro. This way, you can adjust the shoes even better to the shape of your child's feet.   

Third, depth. The depth in the shoe is another extremely important factor that you should pay attention to when choosing shoes for your child. Make sure that your little one's fingers have enough space so that they can move freely. However, be careful not to have too much space. Shoes that are too loose in terms of depth may cause the foot to slide forward.

How do you know if your child's shoes are too loose?

Shoes that are too big are just as harmful to children's feet as their counterparts that are too small. Unfortunately, most small children are unable to clearly communicate that the reason they are crying is because of poorly fitting shoes. 

Fortunately, you don't have to read tea leaves! We have prepared a list of the most common signs that your child's shoes should wait until their feet grow, and you should look for smaller, better-fitting models as soon as possible. Here they are: 

• heel slipping out of the shoe while walking
• less activity of the child
• visible blisters
• gait disturbances
• problems with maintaining balance
• frequent trips and even sprained ankles

Apparent savings

As you can see, buying shoes "for now" is only an apparent saving. It could end up costing you much more in the long run! In addition to pain and discomfort, your child may suffer from serious ailments in the future, the treatment of which will be very expensive.

Instead of skimping on your child's health and comfort, choose properly fitting footwear that will support the healthy development of his or her feet. We believe that with our advice it will be a child's play for you.