Do you buy your next kids shoes in full or half-sizes?

[Gameboy]

Bit of a daft question I know, 'cos the proper amswer is 'whatever fits them'!

But what I mean is, is there a kind of 'overlap' period i.e. could a pair of size 10s just be becoming tight, when you move to an 11, which probably has a fair amount of 'room for growth', or would you always go for the 10 1/2 in between?

I only ask 'cos the DSs have to have so many different pairs of shoes/ boots etc:

school shoes
plimsolls (leave at school)
trainers (ideally leave at school)
football boots (leave at school)
rugby boots - weekend
casual shoes/ trainers for home

that it seems mad to be just buying new pairs every time they go up a 1/2 size?

Also there seems to be huge variation in what still fits them at any time e.g. DS1 is wearing size 10.5 trainers, 11 school shoes, 11.5 football boots, and yet they all seem to 'fit' OK??

BTW, we've tried bringing the football and trainers home at weekends, and it's just adding an extra level of stress, as they keep forgetting so I've come to the conclusion that it's better to have two pairs, but I wondered if we could then always keep the older, 'growing out of' pair at school, and a new pair at home?

Shoes that are too big can be bad for their feet as well as ones that are too small can be.

Yes - and I wouldn't put them in a pair of shoes that were loose, andslopping around for example. But surely all shoes all new shoes start off with a bit of room for growth - i.e. the finger width or whatever that they measure in the toe when they try them on?

And there are some shoes/ boots (like football boots) which don't often come in half sizes once you get to the larger sizes?

Do all your kids suddenly grow out of all their shoes, or is it a gradual process over a few months?