Shoes for Toddlers

[ag1]

The Shoebox in Ocean Terminal have a wonderful and extensive range of good quality, branded shoes (Ecco, Kangaroo etc). Although they do a fitting service, it's pretty poor so I'd only really go there for sandals.

[rani]

Hi Val,

I got D's feet measured at Footstop and found out his shoe size is the same as his cousin's. So his first pair of real shoes were Start-Rite hand me downs. He wore them for close to 6 months and has recently outgrown them. He's now just wearing regular summer sandals that I picked up from Wing On - cost around $100 or so. I do love the Start Rite shoes and am considering buying a pair later in the year when it gets cooler.

[Slee]

Hi Shri, I must admit I was being a bit sarky - whenever I hear people talking about 'locals' I start thinnking about bongo drums and grass skirts, not gucci handbags and prada shoes!

You are completely right, it boils down to doing the best you can with the resources you have. Personally, I'd rather forgo going out to dinner than taking risks with my daughter's feet. I wore cheap shoes and flip flops when I was a kid and now I can't find shoes to fit my mishapen feet. My husband's mother always insisted on Clarks shoes for him and his siblings and it has paid off thirty years later.

[Reena]

Hi Rani,

Check out Dr. Kong Footcare at Ocean Terminal (same level as Toys "R" Us). I haven't got any pair from them (yet), but when passing by I saw how they measure the feet size and that seemed good. They check length, width and foot arc. If you do check it out, please do let me know.

[svasbt]

Hi everyone!

We're in Canada this summer, and just took our son in for a proper shoe fitting here 2 weeks ago. I just would like to share the experience here.

Last Fall, I fell in love with Baby Gap "No Lace" sneakers, and bought 2 pairs in different colors. They are slip on sneakers, with elastic bands across the top. Both are of size 6, as I was hoping that Junior would be able to wear them this Spring/Summer. Luck was on our side as he was graduating to size 6 just when Spring arrived.

I'm a shoe person, and our Junior definitely has too many shoes for his own good. Anyway, he wears size 6 shoes comfortably, but just refuses to wear these two No Lace sneakers! To me, they should just slip on easily, but Junior would wiggle and turn and do everything so that I wouldn't put these 2 pairs on him. I ended up putting some other shoes on him all the time. I started to think that there was something wrong with his feet that made the shoes uncomfortable. Maybe his feet are too wide or misshaping or something. That's why we took him in for the fitting.

Well... it turned out that, at 16 months old, his feet still have quite a lot of "baby fat" on top. They are not wide, but they are deep. The fitter said that most toddlers will lose the fat by about 18 months old, but some never do. And because of this fat, he needs the shoes that have support on the top, like the "tongues" of sporty sneakers. The elastic bands of No Lace sneakers must have hurt him, that's why he didn't want to wear them. His feet were measured to be 5 3/4" long. The best shoes for him will be 1/2" longer than his feet, which means size 6.5 at the moment. Size 7 will do if they have lace that you can tighten them up. She recommended that we get a pair of Stride Rite sneakers in Size 7 for him, which should last until September (when he should go back for another fitting).

The shoes here are not cheap either, compared to HK. I now am more careful when buying shoes for him. Less shoes, but better quality. I fully agree with Slee in investing in some pairs of good shoes for better feet. I hope I'm doing the right thing.