One may think that buying shoes for kids is a very simple and straightforward task. That was my belief till last week when I went to Balogun Market in Lagos. I met many parents and guardians having a difficult time with their wards and the shoe sellers as they tried to get good shoes at reasonable cost.
When it comes to choosing the right style of a kid’s school shoes, there are many things to consider. It can be challenging to know what features to search for when finding the proper footwear as a parent. If that is your struggle, too, take this as a sign to read these tips
Kids’ school shoes seem like the most accessible type of footwear to purchase, but in reality, it could be quite challenging. This is why we have gathered a five-step guide for you to follow when trying to pick the right kids’ school shoes for your children.
A little bit of guidance is always super helpful, so this five-step guide should make the shopping process at your favourite fusion brands much more manageable.
So, gather the children and load the car with snacks, entertainment, and your purse.
Choose the right size and fit!
When finding your kids’ school shoes, one thing that is necessary to consider is to note and grab the correct size and fit. These two elements work hand-in-hand when trying to find the perfect pair of footwear for your children.
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What consists of selecting the proper size? Well, it begins with checking the fit around the toes.
A common rule to follow that works correctly when choosing a kid’s school shoes is to measure a thumb-width apart from the top of the footwear and your child’s toe. This ensures that there is enough wiggle room in case their feet grow slightly over the year.
It is best to avoid buying kid’s school shoes that are slightly longer, like two sizes too big, as this can worsen the growth and development of your child’s feet over time. Finding affordable kid’s school shoes can make this process much easier as well, so then you do not have to worry about breaking the bank if you know you will have to buy a few pairs of kid’s school shoes all at once.
The fit of the kid’s school shoes is also super important to consider. Children’s feet can grow in width and height, as well as length, so checking these features of your child’s feet during the try-on process is necessary. If the width of your child’s foot is too big, especially for gender boys, you will find that it is rubbing against the inside of the footwear.
This issue will occur even if the length of your child’s foot fits perfectly into the pair of new styles of kicks. Checking over the size and fit will be a life-saver when shopping for kid’s school shoes.
Make sure you look for good fastening capabilities!
It is best to reach for footwear that offers excellent fastening capabilities. As the customer, creating a note about the new styles of shoes’ many benefits and capabilities like excellent fastening that you are looking for is very important.
This tip will ensure that your child’s feet stay secure all day long through study and play. It will also save the trip of buying more kid’s school shoes when they come home with one missing! Our favourite type of fastening is the classic lace-up design.
This feature on kid’s school shoes offers a great range of security throughout the day. Whether it is kicking a ball on the oval, playing chasey with friends or digging up a sandcastle in the sandpit, you can be sure to know that your kid’s school shoes will not be going missing anytime soon.
One downfall when it comes to lace-ups is that the laces can come undone throughout the day. To avoid any issues when this occurs, try to teach your child how to tie their shoelaces up.
For young children, this will be a skill worth having when you are not around. However, if they are still young and find it overwhelming to tie their laces at this point, there is always the touch-fastening alternative.
The touch-fastening kid’s school shoes offer the same amount of security, just without the fuss of tying laces. The touch-fastening and lace-up styles of kid’s school shoes are much more secure than other designs you may find, especially for males.
However, if your daughter likes the look of open and breathable footwear, she might prefer to wear the Mary-Jane design of kid’s school shoes. These feature a buckle that will keep her feet secured all day long.
You need comfortable and supportive features!
Finding comfortable and supportive kid’s school shoes is necessary for longevity throughout the day and the rest of the term. But what defines comfortable and supportive footwear?
Firstly, check the sole. The sole of the kid’s school shoes should feel firm and have a good grip, so their feet do not move around the wrong way. There should be plenty of flexibility around the toes for running and playing as well. This may also depend on the footwear material. So, choose one that will offer plenty of stretch and movement.
A firm heel upper and soft insole can help with the level of comfort and support that the kid’s school shoes will offer. These both increase the ankle stability and arch support of the foot whilst inside the kid’s school shoes.
Checking the footwear for these features will help your child’s feet in the long term and will save you the trouble of any doctor appointments or injuries from occurring.
Try to reach for darker colours!
When finding your perfect pair of kid’s school shoes, it is a good idea to search for darker colours. This is because your children will most likely be playing around with their friends at recess and lunch on any surface they find suitable.
This can include grass, gravel or even mud. For the grounds that offer more dirt, it will generally stick onto your kid’s school shoes. If you want to avoid dirty new kid’s school shoes for as long as possible, aim for the darker coloured kicks.
This trick will minimise the level of visibility of dirt you may encounter with your kid’s school shoes. White kid’s school shoes would be difficult to remove dirt, stains, and scuff marks from, so it’s best to choose darker colours, so they blend in.
If you do find yourself purchasing white kid’s school shoes, there are plenty of methods you can follow if you need to clean them (phew!).
Invest in a good pair of socks and laces!
An intelligent investment (besides a good pair of kid’s school shoes) is to stock up on spare socks and laces.
Socks add an extra level of comfort to your children’s footwear, so it’s best to have a stash in the cupboard. These will come in handy when you least expect it. If your children are wearing lace-up kicks, it is also worthwhile to have spare laces as well.
Save these for a rainy day because there will be times where your children’s laces are falling apart. Insoles are also a worthwhile investment when it comes to kid’s school shoes. They are an additional boost to comfort and support levels and can help with balance throughout the day. Trust us, this selection of accessories will be your new range of must-have items!
