General Information

• It takes over a dozen years for a foot to fully develop, during which time bones ossify (harden), fuse together and muscles and ligaments grow strong.
• Change in foot shape is an ongoing process, from a child's broad, fat, square configuration, to a more conventional tapered foot.
• A child's foot growth is sporadic, not constantly growing. Foot growth should minimally be checked by a parent and/or shoe salesperson as follows:
  • 12-18 months: every 2 months
  • 18-30 months: every 3 months
  • 2½-4 years: every 4 months
  • 4-6 years: every 6 months
  Also, since children grow in spurts, their feet should be checked every time a growth spurt occurs.
• A child does not need shoes for protection until he or she becomes mobile (crawling and/or starting to stand up). Prior to that time, all a child needs is a loose fitting non-stretch sock or bootie, to shelter the foot against the elements.
• On average, most children start walking between the ages of 10 and 13 months.
• Some problems in the adult foot which cause functional foot disorders can be traced directly to failure to recognize and correct childhood foot problems, congenital or acquired. It is therefore essential that children's shoe fitting be done by a knowledgeable salesperson.

First Pair of Shoes

A child's first steps are instinctively taken with the feet wide apart for balance, to secure a wide base of support. In initial gait, there is an absence of heel strike, with most weight falling on the forefoot.

Based on the stage of foot development and initial gait pattern, the first pair of walking shoes should be of soft, pliable leather and have a low coefficient of friction. This is to prevent sticking on carpet or other walking surfaces. The safest shoes will have soles free of ridges and be of non-slip, flexible material. Any soling used must not stick on carpet, or slide on hard surfaces like tile or sidewalks. The reasoning is that when a shoe sticks or gets caught on the walking surface, the toes of the foot get crammed into the end of the shoes. There is then a tendency to fall forward, head first, with a great potential to hit the head during the fall. If a child slips while his feet are going forward, he falls on his back side, where there is not as much chance for serious injury.

Measuring and Fitting

Before measuring for new shoes, it is advisable to check the fit of your child's current shoes and note how long he or she has been wearing them. Has she grown out of them or just worn them out? Also keep in mind shoe brands may have widely varying fit characteristics / sizes – it is best to determine proper fit by how the shoe fits on the child's foot rather than defaulting to a particular size.

The keys to follow when measuring children's feet are:

1. Adjust pant legs and/or socks as necessary.
   • Rolling up the child's pant legs helps you see the feet clearly.
   • If the socks are pulled too tightly against the front of the foot, they can constrict the toes, thereby giving you too short a length measurement.
   • Pull the socks forward, so the toes are free to stretch to their full length. Fold any excess material over the top of the toes.
   • The child should wear the same type of socks he would actually wear with the shoes being purchased.
2. Have the child stand straight.
   • To get the most accurate measurement, always make sure the child is standing straight, with full weight equally on both feet.
   • If the child appears unsteady, gently hold his upper arm for balance.
3. Measuring the foot.
   • Trace the child's foot on a piece of paper. Make your mark as close to the foot as possible for measurement accuracy. With a ruler, measure the distance between the heel and toe, being careful to compensate for any excess space between actual foot and drawn line. Alternatively, have your child stand next to a ruler, heel at zero. With a straight edge at the tip of the longest toe extend the straight edge over to the ruler noting the length measured.
   • It is important to measure both feet and always fit according to the longest measurement.
   • We advise getting your child measured by a fit professional on a regular basis.
4. Selecting the size.
   • Using the inches measurement as a reference, use the Umi size chart to determine the closest European size.
   • Umi shoes are made to include growing room for your child's foot. You do not need to size up to ensure proper fit with growing room. Fit your child in the size he measures and in the case of a more narrow foot, we advise ordering a size down from what your child measures.
5. Fitting the shoe.
   • To prepare the shoes for fitting run your finger along the inside of the shoe to remove any paper and/or cardboard and check for rare irregularities such as rough spots, glue, etc.
   • Many styles of shoes will benefit from a quick pre-flexing. This 'breaks in' the leather across the vamp, helping the shoe to flex comfortably as soon as it's on the foot. Place your thumb inside the shoe, down by the ball of the foot area. With the heel of the other hand, flex the front of the shoe upward, simulating the motion of a step.
   • When putting the shoe on the foot, be sensitive to the way the shoe slips on. You should not have to struggle to push it on. But it also should not feel too loose or wobble on the foot.
   • Make sure the child's heel is fully seated. If the shoe has a tongue, pull lightly on it to make sure it is smooth against the foot.
   • It is easier to lace the shoe if the child's foot is anchored firmly against the ground, a fitting stool, or even your knee.
6. Testing for proper fit.
   • There are 10 steps for assessing shoe fit.
     

     Shoe length

     3/8" to 1/2" between longest toe and end of shoe
     Space for fourth and fifth toes

     Heel-to-ball (arch length)

     Joint of the big toe fits snugly into ball 'pocket' of shoe
     

     Ball-to-toe

     Shoe is not too long or too short from ball to end of toes
     

     Heel-to-outer-ball

     Outer-ball joint fits into outer 'pocket' of the shoe just like inner ball joint fits into pocket
     

     Ball width and vamp room

     Adequate space across vamp of the shoe (check girth width)
     Width of insole same as width of foot (check lineal width)
     

     Heel fit

     Not too tight or too loose; 'snug' fit
     Top of counter does not 'cut into' heel tendon
     Inside and outside ankle bones do not rub against topline of shoe
     

     Topline

     Fits snugly to side of the foot
     

     Instep (or waist)

     With slip-ons and boots, it's important that shoes not be too tight over the instep, but they must be snug enough to hold the shoe on the foot.
     With a laced shoe, it is possible to adjust the fit over the instep. However, check that when laced the lace opening is ample (not too close or too wide).
     

     Arch fit

     Shoe hugs closely to the foot on the inside of the shoe under the arch
     

     Tread

     Shoe fits securely, child feels balanced and stable and walks comfortably
     

Because it is sometimes difficult for a child to communicate how the shoe feels, and because children may say a shoe hurts if they don't like the style (or conversely: children may say a shoe feels good if they like its looks) when that isn't really the case, two additional points of shoe fitting with children are very important:
-Ask the child to walk, with both shoes on, and observe the fit, especially across the vamp and in the heel. Careful observation can help you judge of the shoe is too large or too small.
-Double check the fit. Again, because of the importance of good fit in children's shoes and because fitting is more of an art than a science, you should double-check all 10 check points to ensure proper fit.