Fitting Guide
Ensure your child is wearing the correct thickness socks or tights and that these are not constricting the toes.
Remove all packaging from shoes and open any buckles/Velcro so the shoe is fully open.
Slide the shoe onto the foot – sometimes you have to help the foot in gently but it should go on naturally without force.
Do up the laces or buckles – there should not be too much or too little overlapping.
Hold the ankle and give the shoe a tug – it should stay firmly on the foot.
Ask the child to stand up straight with their weight evenly on both feet
- First check there is no space behind the heel – the shoe should sit snugly.
- The shoe should also not touch the ankle bone but sit just below it to avoid rubbing.
- The widest part of the foot is between the start of the big toe and the start of the baby toe – this part of the foot should be sitting in the widest part of the shoe. Feel gently down the sides of the shoe to check the foot is in the correct position.
- The width can be checked by using your thumb and forefinger. Place them at the edge of the widest part of shoe and move them towards each other across the toe of the shoe. The leather should give gently. It does not move at all the shoe is too narrow and if you can pinch the leather very easily it is too wide.
- With a T bar or Mary Jane you should be able to run your finger under the rim of the shoe.
- The length can be checked by feeling the position of the big toe - there should be about a thumbs width of growing room at the toe of the shoe.
- Ask the child to walk in the shoe – they should not trip or the shoe should not slip at the back.
If a child has been wearing trainers or canvas shoes all summer proper leather shoes will feel a little funny. If buying these as school shoes encourage your child to wear them a little before term starts.