1 Year Old Shoe Advice

My 17 month old wears Pedi Peds and I love them. FYI...My dr recommends not to have hard soles until 6 months after they are walking.

Oh dear, I guess I'm the only one who buys my baby shoes at Target and Walmart:) They have some great shoes with soft, flexible soles. Since shoe sizes change every three months or so, I'm not out $50 for shoes four times a year. Look in the baby section for "crib shoes" or "trainers" as they have nice thin soft soles. My two year old is a shoe aficionado and has about ten pair of shoes and boots. Girls. Oh, Target also has some lovely Roobeez knockoffs that are only $12. My 9-month old has been in the same pair since birth, and they haven't worn out yet.

ROBEEZ, They now make more of a shoe than a slipper type shoe. They are so soft and supple, all 3 of my boys wore them. Then stride rite for more of a snow proof shoe.

I don't know where you live, but I went to a store called Wagners in River Forest on North Ave. (just west of Harlem). It is an old-fashioned family owned shoe store. The owner knows feet. He could practically tell my son's size without measuring them (but he did measure). He was knowledgeable about the brands they sold & which would work best for my son (most flexible sole for a new walker, etc.) He also pointed out that my son needed and extra extra wide, so again, he let us know which shoes would be best.

After I bought the $50 Stride Rites, I did find the same size in another style at Marshall's for $14.99. I just really wanted to make sure that I knew exactly what size my little guy needed. Oh & I do notice a difference in how well my son walks in the ones suggested by the owner at Wagner's vs. the ones I picked up at Marshall's. Hands down, the Wagner's saleman knew his stuff. If you are nowhere near River Forest, I would just suggest going to a reputable shoe store where the staff is patient with kids & knows their stuff about the shoes they sell. I would probably avoid Stride Rite stores in some of the malls. I didn't feel like the staff there were very knowledgable/well trained.

Hi A.,

Definitely take him to Stride Rite. They will fit him for the shoes and can also recommend a few styles for you to choose from. My pediatrician recommended bare feet indoors, then walking shoes for the outside. Get ready though, the shoes will cost around $50, but it is definitely worth it. My daughter's first pair of walking shoes lasted her about 5 months. Good luck and have fun shoe shopping!

Try Pediped.com - they make infant and toddler shoes. They run between $30-40 and are endorsed by the AAP. They are very cute and my daughter loves them! Very good quality!

My friend recommended pedi-peds and they are great. They are available at Nordstrom's or online. They are flexible so it makes it easier for them to walk. Also Robeez are supposed to be good too.

Good luck!

I love Robeez for first shoes. About $28-$30 each with many cute styles to choose from. Thankfully little ones have a difficult time removing them which is especially important as the weather gets colder. I found that they were true to size...no need to buy bigger. I hear that Target has a similiar style shoe which is less expensive. Don't know much about the quality. Good luck!

My kids have all worn the same pair of Jumping Jacks for their first walking shoe. They're flexable with soft leather. My sister swears by Pedipeds. Both Jumping Jacks and Pedipeds are a bit pricy so we're more of a payless family these days.

The most important thing to look for is if they're flexable. Try and bend from heel to toe and you can't budge them, they're too stiff and hazardous.

Keep in mind at this age, they out grow them in a few months (or sooner) so a large investment may be disappointing.

don't waste money on expensive ones. EVER. For the first few pairs they should be as light as possible. If you feel it in your hand, it's too heavy. THey should also be flexible, you should be able to bend them in half. Target has an awesome selection usually. If the child is in a size 3 now, you can buy size 4's on clearance as long as they are gym shoe type of shoes. I never spent more then $10 on a pair of shoes for my kids and they have no foot issues. I also handed down shoes and bought garage sale ones. But the first pair were target ones usually. Also save the first pair. You'll be amazed when they are ten at how big they have gotten and that little shoe will be a fond memory.

For first shoes I always do Stride Rite, they're the best. Their feet are still forming & you want them to learn to walk well. Later it's not AS important but still a good idea to go with quality. Plus SR has wide & extra wide widths, which my kids seem to need.

D.

I always got my daughter's shoes at Payless unless my husband happened to get a pair from a friend of his that has a shoe store. She wears shoes outside since she has been walking but socks and slippers inside since bare is best. I know people that love Robeez and Pedi-peds, as well as Stride Rite. But those can be pricey. When I buy shoes, I flex them to make sure she will be able to flex her foot while wearing the shoes. I also make sure she has plenty of room in the toe area.

Although they are expensive, I also suggest Stride Right. My son's feet were turning in when he first started to walk. Once we got the Stride Rights, his feet straightened out and he walks great! They will measure and fit your son for just the right shoes there. I've also been told there is an outlet (I believe at the Aurora outlet) where they are about $20 cheaper. Good luck.

We got our little girl's first shoes at Stride right, but they are expensive. $50 for one pair. Stride Right shoes are also sold at Penny's. Where ever you go, make sure they take the time to really measure his feet so that the shoes fit right. Now that my daughter is a little older, we go to Payless or Target for her shoes because she goes through them so fast.

A.,

I highly recommend going to Nordstrom in OakBrook. That's where both of my kids got their very first shoes. The salespeople at Nordstrom take classes in order to understand a child's foot (i.e., being wide, high arch, slender, etc.) and can recommend which shoe is better than another for your child in particular. Also, the experience is wonderful. They take a picture of your child as it is his first shoes and give him a balloon. I took my own camera both times and now have the pictures in my kids scrap books. It's lots of fun and your husband will enjoy it, too. Good luck.

I recently heard that you can find Stride Rite shoes at TJ Maxx or Marshall's. I haven't checked it out for myself yet, but I plan to!