The Correct Fit

What makes a good pair of shoes?

It's really important to understand what makes a good shoe when you are buying that all-important first pair of walking shoes.

Here are the key things to look out for:

• A range of shoes that offer whole and half sizes and a choice of width fittings - this will ensure that you get the best possible fit for your child
• Shoes designed especially for children's feet, as they will be designed to match the shape of a child's foot and include that all-important growing room. Remember that at this young age, the nerve endings in babies' feet have hardly developed at all and your child may not therefore be able to tell you that their feet are sore or squashed so they need footwear with lots of room to grow.
• Look at the shape of shoes - children's shoes should be shaped like a foot. It sounds simple, but some designs can be too pointed or have a 'swung' design which can harm delicate feet
• A choice of fastenings - both buckle and hook and loop fastenings allow for precise adjustment to help shoes fit the feet properly
• Breathable linings which allow perspiration to escape through the surface of the shoe