Parenting / 11 April, 2025 / Christina Walter
We spoke with Start-Rite Shoes’ footwear specialist, Sam Lake, to get her knowledgeable recommendation on what parents can anticipate when taking their little ones to have their sneakers fitted for the very first time.
Expert Tips For Your Child’s First Shoe Fitting
With over 20 years of experience in youngsters’s footwear, Sam supplies an inclusive buying expertise tailor-made to each little one’s wants and age. Her trusted steerage and talent to seek out the proper match, particularly for youngsters with orthopaedic or neurodiverse wants, has earned her the loyalty of returning prospects who worth her ardour for making a protected and welcoming atmosphere for little ones.
Sam shares her experience that can assist you take pleasure in your first shoe-fitting expertise as a cherished reminiscence.
When is a baby prepared for sneakers?
When your baby begins strolling unaided for many of the day, it’s time to introduce them to their very first sneakers. Soft pre-walkers are superb at this stage, providing light help, safety and most sensory suggestions as your little one builds confidence with every step.
Pre-walking sneakers have to have particular options reminiscent of tremendous versatile soles to imitate pure motion of your baby, a large toe field for toes to unfold comfortably and adjustable fastenings for a safe and cushty match – very important for little ones creating ft, that are nonetheless made up largely of cartilage at this stage.
New for this yr, Start-Rite has developed a ‘nature form’ sole unit in its First Steps assortment, designed to reflect the pure form of a toddler’s foot. This foot-shaped match promotes wholesome growth and encourages pure motion, actively supporting youngsters’s stability, coordination, and total physique alignment.
How can a mother or father test their toddler’s sneakers match appropriately when the kid can’t talk it?
When it involves the becoming course of, a few of our youthful prospects really feel comforted when sat on a mother or father’s lap. The shoe fitter will then deliver you a number of kinds in your little one to attempt on. There are some easy suggestions to ensure the sneakers match excellent.
Remember, whereas measurements are a fantastic start line, each shoe fashion matches otherwise, so it’s essential to test how the shoe feels in your little one’s foot. Achieving a extra exact and comfy match is made straightforward with Start-Rite’s entire and half sizes, in addition to multiple-width fittings for a extra precision match.
First, with the sneakers on, ask your little one to face as much as test the width. The leather-based ought to flex barely on high of the foot. If it doesn’t, the shoe is perhaps too slender. If you’ll be able to pinch the fabric right into a ridge, it’s too extensive. Ideally, you need only a small ripple of motion. Next, take a little bit check stroll across the store. Watch for sneakers that keep on securely with out slipping, gaping, or limiting their stroll. They ought to really feel comfortable and permit your little one to stroll simply.
Now, to test the size. You ought to be capable to really feel a few thumb’s width from their longest toe to the entrance of the shoe. Also, be sure that the shoe doesn’t rub towards their ankle bone and matches properly across the sides and heel with none gaps.
All Start-Rite sneakers are designed with rising room inbuilt. This means the again of the sneakers are designed to carry the ankle, permitting the toes to ‘wiggle’ – we name it ‘wiggle room’. Whether it’s your first go to or one in all many, knowledgeable shoe fitters will be sure that your little one leaves with sneakers which can be as comfy as they’re supportive, providing you with peace of thoughts, and them, comfortable ft!
How can we make it a straightforward expertise for neurodiverse youngsters and excited little ones in a store atmosphere?
Navigating a store atmosphere with excited or overwhelmed youngsters can generally be a problem, however we’re wholeheartedly dedicated to creating it a constructive and pleasant expertise for each little one. For a extra tranquil go to, some outlets, together with the Start-Rite flagship retailer the place I’m based mostly, present devoted time slots tailor-made for SEN youngsters. These particular slots include quiet environment and dimmed lighting, creating an environment that’s each relaxed and welcoming.
To assist little ones really feel safe and relaxed, we extremely advocate that parents deliver alongside their favorite toy and in case your little one is having a troublesome day, don’t fret – shoe fitters are skilled specialists within the tremendous artwork of toddler negotiations and convey loads of endurance and delicate phrases. We’ve even been recognized to measure a teddy bear’s paw to get that all-important teddy’s seal of approval!
Find out why little ft are implausible!
If you’d like additional recommendation on whether or not your little one is prepared for his or her first pair of sneakers, Start-Rite’s weblog “Is My Child Ready for Shoes?” has loads of useful recommendation to information you thru this thrilling milestone.
Start-Rite additionally has a wealth of sources for parents, with over 86 blogs filled with suggestions and insights discovered on its devoted ‘First Steps Advice’, the place you’ll be able to study why correctly fitted footwear is so essential for rising ft.
Check out Start-Rite’s First Shoes collection and discover the best match in your little adventurer!
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Sam Lake
Sam Lake is a youngsters’s shoe-fitting specialist and the Store Manager at Start-Rite’s flagship retailer in Norwich. She possesses distinctive information of ft, sneakers, and buyer wants, mixed with an enthusiastic and passionate method to footwear. Drawing on her experiences as a mum and her 20-year profession at Start-Rite, Sam has turn out to be a agency favorite amongst prospects. She can also be actively concerned within the product growth course of, leveraging her experience in what works and sells nicely on the store flooring.
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