Children's Shoes: How many shoes does a child really need at what age?

Every mother has already done it: bought the first shoes for the offspring from the first child during pregnancy. And of course you get a few as gifted parents. When the mini-boots are finally the right size, they either fall constantly from the small feet or are unwanted by the offspring. For the little ones instinctively do what nature thinks best: be barefoot and walk as often as possible. For a healthy development of the feet, the muscles are optimally trained.

The demands on the first pair of shoes are even greater!

Feet grow and develop until adolescence. That is why it is particularly important to be flexible soles, not too small or too large shoes and breathable materials. Bent toes can permanently deform the soft child's foot and too large shoes make sore feet by slipping in the shoe. The easiest way to determine the correct shoe size is if the little foot is firmly on the ground and you paint with a pen around it. Then this template can be measured and placed in the shoe. In the Schuhauswahl must then necessarily be given in addition an inch of space forward.

The first shoes need children if they can walk freely.

Toddlers do not need shoes to support their feet, as was previously the case, but protect their sensitive feet from injury. Therefore, the barefoot feeling should be given even with the first shoe. Just take the shoe in your hand and test if it is easy to bend. If the children are not at all to try on, you can take out the shoe sole and put the child on it. So you can see if the shoe is long and wide enough.

How many shoes for runners?

The little feet grow so fast that a couple is enough. Orthopedic master shoemaker Sören Günther said in an interview with jumpradio: "Children's feet are constantly changing, especially with the little ones, a new shoe size can be achieved in two months and you have to check again and again because the feet can also grow at different speeds."

Larger children should in addition to the shoe for all cases have a few rubber boots. This also allows deeper puddles and mud holes to be safely explored for the foot and shin. It makes sense in winter, a couple to change if the boots are wet.

Often parents of kindergarten and school children have rubber boots and everyday shoes twice. So they are always at hand and do not have to be carried back and forth. In addition, the stress is given by something less and the shoe lasts longer. Now that may be useful, because the feet grow slower with age.

Basically, there are two pairs of shoes per season

That's all it takes, because children's feet grow about a millimeter per month. These are two sizes of shoes a year.

And so often you should check the shoe size:

Children up to three years: every two months
Children from three to six years: every three to four months
Children from six to ten years: every four to five months

Do not rely on the specified shoe size!

According to studies, the specified shoe size often does not match the actual inside length. Parents should therefore always measure. And make a new template.

Incidentally, the experts see no problems when buying used shoes. Parents just have to make sure that the soles do not run diagonally. You can see that when you put down the shoes and look closely at them from behind.

More expert tips on the topic of shoe shopping can be found at Kinder- & Jugenärzte on the web and on kinderfüße.com.

And if kids run noticeably on the forefoot, it could be a gang anomaly: the toe tip.