Healthy Little Feet: Choosing Shoes That Let Kids’ Feet Grow Naturally

1. Introduction: Why I Started Paying Attention to My Kids’ Shoes

To barefoot or not to barefoot? As a lifetime barefooter, I’m definitely biased. But I’m not here to debate whether we should let our kids run around outside without shoes or socks. Not ready to open up that can of worms! (Literally 😉)

But something that I do want to talk about is shoes. Specifically shoes for kids.

I first started really looking into kids shoes when I had my second kid. It was during the COVID lock downs so I had A LOT of time to research, around moving in and getting my chickens and quail set up of course. We had just PCSed (moved) to 5 acres in GA. As going into stores was now a taboo practice, we started looking at online options to supply us with what we needed. But as anyone who’s done any online shopping knows, the options are overwhelming! Who knew there were approximately 60 billion different kinds of toddler shoes on the world wide web? (dramatization)

So, in order to narrow down my options so I wasn’t completely overwhelmed by something as simple as picking out footwear for an almost mobile child, I started doing research. And I lot of things I was reading resonated with me. It never made sense why these wood planks were strapped to my kids feet. Why am I putting something on my child that is causing them to stumble, instead of supporting their growth and movement?

2. What’s the Difference Between Traditional Shoes and Foot-Shaped Shoes?

This is where I started to come across the idea of barefoot shoes for kids. I had in my mind the toe-socks and shoes that were the “barefoot shoes” of my day. But these were different. They were cute, first off. But they also LOOKED like kids’ feet. They could move and bend. They weren’t rectangles. There was a clear difference between the shoes that would support a toddler’s movement and one that they had to learn a new way to walk in.

So I started looking for shoes with enough width at the toes to allow them proper foot movement. I learned the word “toe box”. I also learned that foot conditions, like low arches, benefit from corrective footwear. But kids that don’t present with any foot issues do best with a shoe that protects their feet enough to allow them to explore and experience the world AND is minimalistic enough to not inhibit foot development.

3. Why Toe Space Matters for Growing Feet

All this really hit home when I started really looking at my husband’s feet. My husband wears a 12/13 shoe. It’s definitely difficult to find shoes for him that fit. You can actually see in his feet how difficult it was to find shoes that fit him, especially as a guy who was in the Army. If you’ve done research on kid’s shoes and come across pictures of the dangers of wearing too-tight shoes, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Toes need room, bottom line. They need room to splay, wiggle and move in order to not only develop properly, but to also develop the supporting tissue. Even socks that are too tight can negatively impact feet.

4. What I Look for When Buying Shoes for My Kids

So when I look for shoes for my kids, these are some things I look for:

– A toe box shaped more like a foot than a triangle
– Enough length for growth without excessive extra space
– Enough width for toes to spread comfortably
– A secure fit around the heel and midfoot
– Appropriate flexibility for the child’s activity and the shoe’s intended use
– Good traction and durability
– A price that makes sense for fast-growing kids

5. My Favorite Wide-Toe-Box Shoes (shoes I’ve actually bought and kept)

Getting my shoes for my kids from Amazon just makes sense for our family. I’m not a brand-name shoe person, so that doesn’t matter to me. We live in a pretty rural area where running to the store for shoes doesn’t make a lot of sense. I can find shoes that check the blocks, and return them if for some reason they don’t work out.

Let me know what your favorite shoes are for your kids, or for yourself! Adults deserve helpful footwear also!

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