Fitting Tips For Parents

We could go on all day about the dos and don’ts of shoe shopping with kids. When it comes to finding the perfect fit, here are a few of our favorite hacks:

• don’t measure in the morning. feet naturally swell during the day. so, it’s best to try on new shoes after kids have been running around for a few hours.
• don't buy shoes that are too big. putting a kid in shoes that are too big can have unintended consequences when it comes to proper foot development. kids' feet do grow fast, but putting growing feet in the wrong size shoe just to get a few months of extra wear really isn't worth the risk.
• don't buy them too small, either. the one exception to the rule of buying true-to-size is when your kid's feet are two different sizes or in-between sizes. in either case, always go with the bigger size to avoid squishing their feet!
• do get involved. you know your kid best. during a shoe fitting, ask your kid how the shoes feel on their feet, and check each area of the shoe yourself to made sure they fit just right.
• do more than stand and walk. the best way to gauge a shoe's true fit is to watch them in action. ask your kid to jump, dance and jog around when they're trying on shoes so you can see how they move.
• do get a second opinion. get hands-on help finding the right fit for your kid's new shoes at any authorized stride rite dealer. Fit experts are trained to know all the right places to check.