How to Buy Sneakers for Your Child: 4 Helpful Tips

There’s nothing quite like the joy of seeing your child grow up. One moment, you’re cradling them in your arms, and the next you’re waving them off as they walk into kindergarten for the first time.

However, raising a child also comes with some challenges. One of the most notable is the way they grow out of their shoes. Kids grow so fast that it almost seems like you have to buy sneakers for them every other month.

If this is what you’re currently going through, it can seem to be quite the hassle to buy the right shoes for your child. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place for answers. This article will show you how to buy sneakers for your child so they’ll always have the perfect pair. Read on to learn more!

1. Buy Shoes Based on Your Child’s Needs

There are plenty of shoes to choose from, and one way to narrow down the list is to find out what your child needs out of their footwear. Each child has their own specific needs and you’ll want to make sure you find out about yours so they can have the most comfortable shoe experience.

For example, if your child doesn’t know how to tie their shoes yet, you’ll want to get laceless or velcro options. If they’re very active, get them higher-quality shoes that can stand up to their level of wear and tear. This ensures they’ll get the most out of their footwear every time.

2. Make Sure to Measure Frequently

You’ll want to make sure you’re measuring your child’s feet frequently so you get them the best possible shoe. Children go through a rapid growth phase; in fact, from 0 to 5, their feet tend to grow at a rate of 1 mm per month!

Constantly check your child’s feet so you know what size shoe they’ll need for the next few months. Make sure you learn how to measure your shoe size first so the task becomes much easier when you do it with your kid.

Here are some tips to consider while measuring your child’s shoe size:

  • Remember that feet tend to swell during the daytime. So, the best time to measure the shoe is either in the afternoon or later in the evening.
  • Make sure the little one is standing tall, flat-foot while measuring. 
  • Don’t take measurements of one foot only, measure both because it is normal for growing kids to have slightly different sizes of feet. 
  • Measure the width of feet as well. Sometimes, the length fits but the feet are wide for the shoe and visa versa. Trying different styles and brands may help you in choosing the best fit.
  • Remember that the measurement of the shoe needs to be slightly bigger than the feet measurements. Otherwise, it will be tight on your kid.

3. Take a Look Online

The online world is chocked full of incredible items that you can buy at low prices. Why not buy sneakers online as well?

No matter how big of a selection your local department store might have, the internet is sure to have a lot more. Take to the web to find the best types of sneakers for any occasion, and save a lot of extra cash to boot.

4. Find a Store Expert

If you happen to have a store nearby that specializes in children’s footwear, it would be a great idea to seek out an expert there. It never hurts to have someone on your side who knows their stuff and can help you navigate this confusing terrain!

The Bend Test

Flexibility is an important factor to consider when buying sneakers for kids. As their feet are still growing and need enough room to allow natural feet movement. To determine how flexible the sneakers are; you can conduct the bending test in which the length of the shoe is pushed down from where the foot bends. It will measure the flexural stress, elasticity, and stiffness of the material.

The Wear Test

Before purchasing sneaker pair for your little one, make them try out the shoes and walk a little bit while wearing them. Ensure that the shoe is not sliding down or slipping up the heel. Also, their foot should not be pushed out from the back of the shoe and their tights or socks are fitting in properly. 

Some shoes don’t offer enough support and result in accidents. Proper grip is an essential element of children’s shoes as it will prevent the kid from slipping or falling. The wear test is important to determine the comfortable fit of the shoe.

Now You Can Buy Sneakers for Your Child

Now that you know how to buy sneakers for your child, you’ll have no problem getting them the shoes they need for their growing bodies. Make sure to look around the rest of our site to see what other advice we can offer you today!