Your questions ?
When should we buy first shoes ?
Parents have most dilemmas and questions when buying first shoes for their child. Therefore, they take choosing both a producer and a model of shoes very seriously.
When should we buy first shoes? The right time is when children start to stand and make their first steps on their own. Before this happens, children can wear non-walking shoes which protect them from atmospheric conditions.
How to choose a shoe size ?
It is easy ! You can determine the shoe size by measuring the length of child’s foot and find the right shoe size in the size table. For a steady and regular first step the adequate shoe size is essential. The inadequate one can lead to health problems and foot deformity.
Which materials ?
Footwear should be made from natural materials.The upper part and lining should be made of natural leather (soft, porous and sweat absorbing), perforated leather insole will ensure that the foot breathes.Rubber sole will prevent the child from slipping when walking on parquet or other smooth surface.
Construction ?
A shoe must be neither too hard to constrain the foot from normal bending, nor too soft because it will not provide stability so necessary to a child.You should pay special attention that a shoe has the following parts:
- an anatomic arch supporter is vital for the regular foot arch formation,
- a toe-cap – the strengthening of the front part of the foot. With its structure it protects a child’s foot from physical shock and ensures that the shoe will keep its form,
- a counter – the strengthening of the heel part which provides stability to children in their first steps,
- anti-shock effect: it softens the impact and the pressure on the heel,
- the front part of the shoe towards the toes must be soft and wide enough not to cramp the toes. Otherwise it can lead to their deformity,
- a sole must be light and flexible enough, made of rubber to prevent sliding on a flat surface and parquet.
The right way of fastening the shoes ?
A frequent dilemma parents have when buying shoes is whether to buy lace-up shoes or the shoes with velcro. For small children who cannot put shoes on by themselves but know how to take them off, lace-up shoes are a better choice. Firmly laced-up shoes keep the shoe so well that it cannot slip off and they ensure the ankle stability which is also very important when walking on rough surface or running. Velcro is more practical for children who can put on shoes on their own and often change their footwear during the day, for children in the kindergarten who go to a playground, for schoolchildren who have physical education classes or wear different footwear at school.
What to wear in a kindergarten or at school ?
Children who have just learned to walk and those slightly older ones can wear the same footwear both inside and outside. If you decide to buy slippers, they should also be made of a natural good quality material and keep the foot firmly.
Seasons and footwear ?
Apart from being of the right size and the quality, footwear should be adequate for the weather conditions. In winter it should be warm and waterproof to keep the legs dry and protect them from freezing. Autumn and spring footwear is worn for the longest part of the year so you should pay special attention to its quality and durability. Summer sandals should be made of natural materials such as leather, cork and specially processed materials which do not cause sweating or allergy.
Summary:
Pay attention to:
- the right shoe size,
- anatomic arch support necessary for the regular foot arch formation,
- a toe-cap, the strengthening of the front part of the shoe. With its structure it protects a child’s foot from physical shock and ensures that the shoe keeps its form,
- a counter, the strengthening of the heel part which gives stability to children when making their first steps,
- anti-shock effect which softens the impact and pressure on a heel,
- rubber sole which provides both comfort when walking and prevents children from sliding,
- perforated leather insole which ensures regular foot breathing,
- leather upper part and lining, soft, porous and sweat-absorbing,
- adequate footwear for each season.