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

How much slack should there be in shoes for a child?

Soft, plump and extremely cute. Baby feet! Many mothers can't get enough of them. In the first two years, bones form and change in size by about half a size every two months!

This is quite an expense for any parent. Some, in fear of undermining the household budget, decide to buy slightly too loose shoes for a child. After all, those little feet grow at an alarmingly fast pace!

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

We bust myths!

That children's shoes should be too loose is MYTH! Crawling, rolling, jumping, climbing, walking and even running are all activities that need support.

Of course, in order to ensure them, the presence of a caring adult is necessary to protect the discovering world from harm. However, it is equally important that your child is accompanied by ... properly selected footwear. It is it that 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 from this, the losses can be much worse, because it concerns a child.

Why is the right insole length important?

Remember that a young child's feet are constantly developing. If your toddler wears ill-fitting footwear for a long period of time, be prepared for unpleasant side effects and even damage that will probably accompany him for the rest of his life. This is in particular: 

• pain
• blisters
• irritation
• prints
• bruises
• blood circulation problems
• permanent foot deformity 

Sounds terrible, right? Fortunately, a well-chosen insole length should solve the problem. Also, do not forget that the shoes are properly designed. We provide details later in this guide.

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

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

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

Second, the width. The length of the insole is not everything. It is equally important that children's shoes do not squeeze the sides of the feet. If your toddler has relatively chubby, wide feet, look for wide-top shoes. Do not compromise when your child's feet are narrow and slim. Choose shoes that are not too loose. Pay special attention to laces or Velcro. In this way, you can adjust the footwear to the shape of the child's feet even better.   

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 without any problems. However, be careful not to have too much space. Shoes that are too loose in terms of depth can cause the foot to slide forward.

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

Shoes that are too big are as harmful to children's feet as their counterparts that are too small. Unfortunately, most young children are unable to clearly indicate that the cause of their crying is ill-fitting shoes. 

Fortunately, you don't have to read the coffee grounds! We've compiled 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 disturbance
• balance problems
• frequent trips and even ankle sprains

Apparent economy

As you can see, buying shoes "on sale" is only an apparent saving. In the long run, it can cost you much more! In addition to pain and discomfort, your child may have to deal with serious ailments in the future, the treatment of which will prove to be very expensive.

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