First Walking Shoes

[ally1986]

Hi everyone,

I’m after some advice please on the best shoes to get my little girl. She’s 13 months and has been walking confidently for about a month. She no longer crawls and walks everywhere.

I’ve held off buying her first shoes as I believe being barefoot is much better for her development. But I need to buy her something to wear when she’s outdoors and this is where I’m stuck!

We tried some first walkers on in Clarks but they were so chunky and rigid; she’s quite small for her age so she looked ridiculous with these massive clodhoppers (as my Nan would say!) on her feet. I want something that’s really lightweight and flexible. Would those cruiser-type shoes be ok for her even though she’s walking? I had a look online but there’s so much conflicting advice!

If anyone can recommend any brands/types that would be amazing! She would only be wearing them outdoors.

Thank you x

Start-Rite shoes usually have lovely first shoes. I know Russel and Bromley stock them but not sure who else does

I did use the crawler shoes when my DD started walking outside but didn't do it for long. The harder soled ones are much better if they are walking over gravel, slate etc. Barefoot or socks inside which still allows for good development but I found outside she needed the protection of proper shoes.

Usually the cruiser shoes at Clark’s are ideal for when they start walking. Did you actually get them to recommend something? Usually they advise those for at least the first few months after they start walking confidently even though confusingly they are actually for ‘cruising’ per se. They don’t move on to the more rigid ones until next time.

We just got dd some of their doodle plimsole shoes in Clarks- ideal as still quite flexible but solid enough to wear out. The shop assistant recommended them and they were in the sale too so a bargain

Check out the happy little soles website - they only stock barefoot friendly shoes. Good info about how to measure as well 😊

We were advised that the hard soled ones actually hinder them learning to walk as they are restricting their movement and being aware if their for placement. As I bought my first pair for my DS at 10 months from Mothercare and when I nipped into clarks, That's when they advised me against the ones I had on him as the sole was too rigid and hard.
I would always stick to the advice from clarks as she wasn't advising me to get a sale it was just advice and knowledge. So cruisers from clarks I would recommend

Sorry restricting them being aware of their foot placement, that was meant to say.

Seconding happylittlesoles.co.uk. Bobux are excellent, so are vivobarefoot, plae and pediped are ok.

George at asda online do some fantastic first walkers.

3rd vote for happy little soles

I would second happy little soles too, they also have a few limited shoes in they’re £10 section (in the smaller sizes)
www.happylittlesoles.co.uk/products/sale.html

Beaten too it! I’ll fourth them!!

4th to say HappyLittlesoles. We are a barefoot family (Vivobarefoot/Freet/SoleRunner) and my toddlers first shoes were a south Korean brand named Attipas or something. You buy them on ebay and they are incredible.

Here

Clarks cruiser shoes and/or the tbar or tiny size plimsoll type doodles are very lightweight and flexible and fine for walking on all surfaces. DD has tiny feet for a while and wore cruiser shoes from Clarks until she was about 18m (the point she grew out of the largest size they do - 4.5?) and walking well outside in all terrains. I have a picture of her waking round the woods in a pair of Clarks cruisers or their little doodles (not the more rigid doodles in the larger sizes) and climbing over logs and piles of wood chips.

Start Rite were lovely and soft for our dds first shoes x

Bobux are fantastic. Just ordered some size 9,5's for my huge footed 3.5 year old!

I second the clarks doodle plimsoles.

Start-rite. Best children's shoes going. Offer great support and last!!