Walking 101: Finding the Right Shoes for Toddlers

Babies require a lot of “stuff”. What I’m finding is toddlers and kids require even more. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by “stuff” and also confused on what’s really necessary. I’ve also found that there are certain items you can just “grab anything” and it will do and certain things that require a little research and investing in the “right one”. One of these important items to take your time in choosing, is their shoes. When they are little, your children’s feet grow so fast. This might seem like a reason to not invest in great shoes but it’s actually one of the reasons you should. Their shoes will be what they are wearing as they learn to walk, run and play. They’ll be the shoes on their feet as they grow and their little feet are forming. 

For the kids’ first shoes, we’ve always had a pair from Stride Rite. I can remember going to Stride Rite when I was little. My mom would take me and my brothers each time we needed new shoes. When Maggie was about 9 months old and starting to pull up to standing I figured I should look into some shoes for her. I had no idea what kind of shoes to get her, but I was walking through the mall and spotted a Stride Rite store. I figured if they were still selling kids shoes since I was little, they must be doing something right! I can still remember the first time her tiny little feet were measured and how fun it was to buy her shoes. 

A year and a half later, I was back at Stride Rite getting Alex shoes. She toddled around in hers forever. 

Now I’m on toddler number three and he’s loving his Stride Rite Soft Motion shoes. He’s my most active toddler yet and needed great shoes to keep up with the miles and miles he puts on those tiny shoes. Tommy is on the go from the minute he wakes up in the morning. He climbs and runs non stop. It’s actually really tricky to take a picture of him lately, because he is never still. Unless he has an ice pop of course! 

So why Stride Rite Soft Motion for first shoes? The brand is especially known for their first time walker shoes. They make each shoe with a child’s foot in mind and are designed to encourage natural movement. The inside of the shoe is really soft and the soles are flexible (for natural movement). The outside of the shoe is smooth and rounded – just like a baby’s foot.

Four other features to note about Stride Rite’s Soft Motion shoes:

·         The rounded soles improve balance

·         The oversized openings make it really easy to get them on

·         They have memory footbeds for comfort

·         There are secure closures to keep the shoes on

Here’s something else that’s awesome about Stride Rite that I recently discovered: they have a Walking 101 page. The page is geared towards parents with new walkers. It’s like a “must know guide” for toddler shoes. My favorite part is reading the Q&A on what parents are asking. You can check it out here: Walking 101

Getting first shoes is such a fun milestone. I’ve saved all of my kids first shoes and know I’ll love looking back someday and remembering how tiny their feet once were. 

This is a sponsored post. As always, all opinions are my own.