Choosing a new walker shoe | From a pediatric OT & mom of 2

First, I want to say that until I became a mom and a pediatric OT specializing in infants, I really didn’t understand how to choose the best shoe for a new walker. 

A lot of the patients I served in the pediatric outpatient clinic exhibited low tone which required me to choose shoes for them with lots of ankle support. Think high top shoes! These shoes added lots of support for these kiddos, but when choosing a shoe for a typically developing child - you couldn’t choose a more opposite shoe.

In general, a new walker that has no diagnoses of low tone actually significantly benefits from a very minimalist shoe.

So, let’s explore this further starting with the things to look for when buying shoes for your new walker. (Which, by the way, is the most exciting time!). 

Buying new shoes for your child is so exciting and seeing your baby take their first steps is truly unexplainable. This is a core memory that will never be forgotten. 

But, there are 4 things that are important to look for when determining what new walker shoe is best for you baby. And those things are: wide toe box, flexible sole, pull loop on the back, and no laces or shoes that are easy to adjust. 

So, let’s break down each of these areas further and discuss why these things are important when shopping for your child’s first walker shoe. 

Starting with a wide toe box. 

Before your baby started walking, they likely crawled around on all fours (hand and knees). This is a great means of mobility in preparation for walking, but think about how much of the child’s body is touching in a crawling position. When your baby is in a crawling position, the palms are making contact with the surface, as well as the knees and lower leg. 

This positioning requires balance, but not nearly as much as a bipedal position (AKA walking!). 

When a child starts to walk, this activity requires a TON of balance to do so. And the most foot as possible touching the surface is absolutely best for optimal balance when an infant is learning, or has just started to walk.

When choosing a new walker shoe, you want to be sure the toe box is wider than the rest of the shoe. This allows for optimal weight distribution and surface area contact through the foot which increases your baby’s confidence in walking because they are more stable (AKA have more balance!). 

This significantly increased balance is achieved best by choosing a shoe that has wide toe box, making this something that should 100% be considered when shopping for shoes for your baby.

The next thing to consider when searching for a new walker shoe is a flexible sole.

A lot of companies now refer to this as a “barefoot shoe”, or minimalist sole. This terminology basically means the shoe has no added support and is built to serve one purpose - to protect the foot. Especially from harm during community outings or uncomfortable terrains. 

This type of shoe is so important when choosing a new walker shoe and is something I missed for a long time (before I chose shoes for my own child and understood the concept of a minimalist shoe). 

When choosing a new walker shoe, choose a shoe that can be folded in your hand. This flexibility indicates that the sole is soft and the shoe only serves to protect and not significantly support. 

There are tons of tiny muscles in the feet and ankles, and allowing the child to exercise those muscles and strengthen the foot is best for development. 

Wearing a lightweight, minimalist shoe supports this development because the shoe does not add any support (like stated above). The shoe does not stabilize the ankle, so when a child is thrown off balance they have to use their own muscles instead of the feedback from a more supportive shoe. This usage of the infant’s own muscles in the ankle and foot allow increased strengthening of the foot. 

And this is AMAZING because…the stronger the ankles and feet become, the easier walking will be for the child. This will, in turn, help to reduce falls and injury. Which is a WIN. 

Choosing a flexible sole and minimalist shoe for your infant is definitely a crucial thing to consider. I definitely purchase shoes with this in mind for my own children and still take this approach with my almost 2 year old. 

The next important thing to remember when choosing a new walker shoe is to consider a shoe that has a pull loop on the back. 

Our infants at walking age are still learning all sorts of things. They are learning things like communication, language, following directions, motor planning, coordination, and more. 

Our little ones have a very difficult time understanding how to assist a ton in putting on their shoes (or most clothes for that matter!), so a pull loop is going to SAVE your sanity as a parent! 

Just slide your baby’s foot into the shoe toes first, then complete placing the shoe on your infant’s foot by pulling the loop on the back. 

And done! Out the door you and your little one go to explore the world!

This pull loop not only encourages you to place this shoe on your child’s foot significantly more easily, but also encourages independence for your child as they grow!

Which brings me to my last category to consider when searching for a new walker shoe. 

Choose a shoe that has no laces or has adjustable straps. 

Choosing this type of shoe not only makes placing this shoe on your infant’s foot much easier, but this also, just like the added pull loop, allows the infant to participate in the dressing task as a way to encourage independence. 

For example, if the shoe does not have laces, then the baby can assist in pulling the pull loop (with a parent’s demonstration and help initially) which gives them confidence and willingness to wear the shoes in the future. (Side note: kids, and people in general, thrive off positive reinforcement and participation. Try giving your baby some simple tasks that they are able to complete to build confidence and encourage talk willingness. A little goes a long way!). 

Additionally, if the shoe does have some sort of adjustable component then the child can easily participate in this task with the parents instructions and help. 

Choosing a shoe that has adjustability also allows the parent to ensure the shoe fits properly on the child and allows the appropriate tightness on the foot. 

This appropriate fit allows for the child to have added safety during walking.

When adjusting shoes on your infant, be sure that the shoe is tight enough to hug the foot and not slip off, but not too tight where red marks are observed after removing. 

Also when adjusting the shoe on your child, ensure the straps are not too loose as this can increase your baby’s chances of tripping and falling. 

So, now that we have discussed WHAT to look for in a new walker shoe, let’s practically apply this checklist to an actual first walker shoe: The Nike Swoosh 1

First, these shoes are SOOO cute. They are sporty and a great shoe for taking your baby out and out - especially to the park or other outdoor activities. They are just absolutely adorable!

These Nike baby/toddler shoes are not only so cute, but they also meet all the new walker shoe requirements we chatted about above! 

These shoes have a wide toe box, which is indicated by the fact that the toe box is the widest part of the shoe. This is going to allow the baby to be as balanced as possible and equally distribute weight through the toes and feet which is going to increase walking competency and strengthen the foot.

This shoe is also a minimalist shoe and have a SUPER flexible sole. This shoe has a barefoot feel which is AMAZING for supporting the development of the muscles in the feet and ankles. Like the photo depicts below, I can literally fold this shoe in half which is AMAZING.

This shoe is going to serve the purpose of protecting your little one’s foot, but not providing too much support that hinders muscle development and strength. 

This shoe also has a pull loop in the back (so parent approved!) and has a velcro strap across the bridge of the foot which allows for proper adjustment. 

This shoe is a 10/10 in my book from a developmental perspective and you can shop these shoes here! I am SO excited to get my second child in these once she is ready! 

Which brings me to my last point: When is a baby ready for shoes!?

For a typically developing infant, barefoot is best for your child anytime they are inside or on a surface that is safe for your child to walk barefoot. 

Barefoot is best because barefoot allows for your child’s ankles and feet to strengthen naturally by participating in the walking activities with no support or assistance. 

However, once your baby is walking in the community or on surfaces that are not recommended for bare feet (hot sidewalks, grass with thistles, etc), it is recommended that you place a shoe that meets the guidelines above on your baby. 

This was such a fun blog post to write because these are things that every parent should know when choosing first walker shoes for their perfect little one!

And remember, these recommendations are for infants that are typically developing. If your child receives individual therapeutic treatment (either from an OT or PT), please consult with your child’s therapist on the best shoe for your infant. 

Thanks for reading!

This blog post was sponsored in part by Nike. Shop their new Nike Swoosh 1 new walker shoes here!