When to buy school shoes for a 4 year old?

[MrsMulder]

I don't want to leave it to last minute but his feet seem to grow quickly (gone up half a size since spring) but then he does seem to have shot up in general so maybe he is at the end of a growth spurt.

I got my twin four year olds yesterday. In previous years I've waited until nearer the end of the holidays incase my sons (5&9) had a spurt over the summer, but we were always left with very little choice of style by then and was a case of the person bringing us out whatever they had in that size rather then us selecting a shoe we liked. Yesterday all four of my kids have the choice of every style of shoe in the shop available in their size except the ones with toys in the sole and were all over the moon with their choice!

So I'd buy them now and try them on later in the month to make sure they'll still fit and if they don't, return or exchange them. Obviously check the store policy from where you buy them. Someone like John Lewis wouldn't be a problem for example.

Thanks, I have heard other people say that too. I will take him next week then. I took him for some trainers a few weeks ago and didn't get them because they were too big, went again today and there is hardly any room in them!

I always found a lack of selection in the right size was a problem.(One child with very wide feet and one with very narrow feet!)
Started going in to get measured, then a few weeks later ordering everything they liked the look of into store in a couple of sizes incase they had grown.
This worked better for us than hoping they had the right shoes on the day.

I bought shoes exactly a year ago for DD entering reception. Bought her new school shoes yesterday and she's only gone up half a size in a year!

So you never know. Shop I bought from has a free exchange policy as long as you don't wear them outside!

I took him the other day and he has gone up a whole shoe size since May! Got his shoes but I am going to get him re measured in a few weeks to make sure he doesn't need a bigger size again! He isn't particularly tall either.

If you go to Clarks in the school holidays it worth booking an appointment to bypass the queues!

I went a week ago to get dd's. We got them slightly bigger (about half a size) so she has plenty of room. But i wanted her to have a decent choice, and didn't want to be battling big queues while everyone did the same thing!

I bought my son's shoes (school and games) on Tuesday. We had to wait for ages as there were loads of kids getting their shoes. The lady said that they'd started running out of some sizes in some styles.

Basically, it might be worth doing it soon.