Back To School - How to Pick Shoes for Little Learners

When it comes to your little learners, you want them to feel comfortable in both their shoes and their style. Picking the shoes that will carry them through their year at school can often become a matter of contention. With your preference, their style choices and school guidelines all to contend with, it can sometimes be a mammoth task. 

From first graders through to middle-school, thankfully school guidance is usually a little more relaxed. Growing feet need suitable shoes, and nimble fingers cannot always master the art of knotting laces. For these reasons, a less formal, trainer-like shoe often reigns king of the lower school years. 

Style vs Sensibility 

Keeping up with trends is without doubt something that children crave just as much as teenagers, and let’s face it, adults as well. Finding a trendy shoe that match school guidelines, are comfy for the day and will take the brunt of a lunch time tear-about is a harrowing task for any parent.

Finding washable and easy to clean shoes, particularly for boys, can be an advantage. Opting for woven mesh topped shoes will help with your child’s level of comfort through their school day. The breathable fabric stops feet from over-heating reducing the risk of rubbing and rashes. 

For girls, a more sandal type slip on shoe is often favoured. Again, this will fall to school guidelines although for the most part, black slip-on shoes are widely accepted. 

Shopping by Size

Some considerations that should be observed, regardless of style, sensibilities or guidelines are the shape and size of your children’s feet. As well as the length (shoe size) of your child’s feet, you should also consider the width. If your child has particularly wide feet, there are shoes that can cater for them. 

The arch of the foot should also be checked. For children with flatter feet, you should find shoes that offer more support. For those with ahigh arch, less support is needed. 

Also consider the growth of your child. Children’s feet are constantly growing, and growth spurts can come out of nowhere. At the start of the school year, when choosing the school shoes, you should allow an extra bit of room to allow for growing feet. 

A good measure between toe and the end of the shoe is enough room for a finger. For new school shoes, you may want to consider closer to double that space, but never more than. Thicker socks do not always combat shoes that are too big. This can lead to rubbing, and in hotter climates sweaty feet.  

You can check our blog on measuring feet by clicking here. 

Lace Up or Velcro

If your child needs to take their shoes off during their time at school, to change for sports or break times, can they tie their own laces? For the simplicity, many parents start their children off in Velcro, or rip-tape. Not having to worry about them tripping over their untied laces or being left with loose shoes is always a benefit, especially in younger kids. 

Check with the School

Our final bit of advice if you are still unsure, is to check with the school. The last thing you want to do is waste money on shoes that are unsuitable or fall outside of the guidelines. 

Click here browse our back-to-school range.