Shoes that fit adorable little feet

One of the ways www.friendlyrooster.com chooses its brand base is by looking at how healthy their shoes are for children's feet.  We have taken the time to educate ourselves on each brand's product lines to ensure that what we are selling are top notch, quality, and healthy products for your precious little ones.

Below are some footwear facts, taken from our friends at Pediped, that will help you be more informed when making footwear purchase decisions for your children:

• The critical development years happen from infancy and into the toddler years.
• The bones in a baby's foot are made of cartilage, the same flexible substance you find in your ears and nose.
• A shoe that is too rigid or too tight can change the shape of your child's foot.
• Around 70% of foot problems come from wearing the wrong footwear or ill-fitting shoes.
• A child's feet develop until he or she is about 18 years old.
• A child's feet grow in spurts and often require new shoes every 3 to 4 months.

BEST SHOES FOR INFANTS WHO ARE LEARNING TO WALK

Barefoot walking is best, but that also leads to its own set of potential hazards.  Therefore, the best shoes for this age are a soft sole shoe that is flexible and breathable.  This helps feet grow normally and to develop musculature, strength, and the grasping action of toes.  You also want to be sure that there is an adjustment factor on the shoe (stretching heel, Velcro closures, etc) to keep the foot secure in the shoe.  Tip Toey Joey, Pediped, Livie and Luca, and Me in Mind all have shoes that serve this function.

BEST SHOES FOR TODDLERS AND CHILDREN

You want to look for shoes with a rounded toe box that give plenty of room for toes to move.  The shoes should be made of breathable material, like leather or canvas.  Avoid man made materials, because they can cause odor or bacteria growth.  Soft leather or rubber soles are recommended, because they allow a child's gait and stride to develop naturally.

THINGS TO AVOID

• Do not buy shoes that need to be "broken in".  It means the shoes are either poor design or they are not properly fitted to your child's foot.
• Do not take "hand-me-down shoes".  Most shoes form to the foot, so wearing hand-me-downs that have already been "formed" can affect the shape of your child's foot.

The good news is that today we have a wide selection of shoes and brands that fill all of these needs, and they look good while doing it.  So keep all of this in mind, but have fun when choosing.  Baby and kids shoes are just too darn cute not to enjoy the shopping experience!