How To Select Baby Shoe Sizes Based On Your Baby’s Age: A Guide

The best way to pick out your baby’s next pair of shoes is by looking at a baby shoe sizes by age chart. This will quickly and easily illustrate the right shoe sizes for your baby, and let’s be honest about baby shoes, we all love them. There is something about putting those itty bitty teeny tiny little toes into a precious little shoe that is just too cute for words!

However, I’ve always found that picking the right shoe size for a baby can be ridiculously difficult! Let’s be honest; the little darlings just never seem to stay the same size! One week they fit one size, and by the end of the week they’ve grown up two categories! Add to that the fact that there are literally thousands of shoe choices out there for your little one and it’s enough to make you crazy! That’s why you should always try to find the right baby shoes sizes by age.

Once you have that set in your mind, the list of prospective shoes dwindles down dramatically. However, that still won’t be enough to make the right choice for your cherub, so read on in this baby shoes size guide to find out what else to think about so that you can select the perfect precious pair. We will discuss what to look for in any and every pair of shoes, as well as provide you with an easy to print guide so that you always have a baby shoes size by age chart handy.

How Will I Know if the Shoes Fit Correctly?

This can be kinda tough, since, you know, depending on your kid’s age, they won’t be able to give you a heads up whether or not the shoe feels good. Thankfully, there are a couple of key fit checks that you can do to be sure that your baby’s shoes are just right for their feet. If you would like more information on picking the proper fit for your baby’s feet, you can check out what parents or doctors have to say on the subject.

Toes

When I was little, my mom always squeezed the top of my shoes when we were buying a new pair, and I had no idea why. Now that I’m grown, I completely understand! There is no quicker way to determine if there is enough wiggle room for your baby’s piggy toes than to give them a quick squeeze. You want to make sure that their toes are a half an inch or a quarter of an inch away from the front of the shoes, to give them lots of room to grow and to make sure their toes aren’t getting pinched.

Tongue

The tongue of a shoe is the part that sits on the top, and helps to hold the shoe on your foot. Be sure to pull it out all the way when you are trying shoes on your baby, as the tongues tend to scrunch down, making for an uncomfortable fit. If the shoe fits properly, you should be able to get your finger down in between the tongue and your baby’s foot.

Heel

Another challenging part to fit properly is your baby’s heel. If a shoe is rigid, or too much like an adult’s shoe, you might have a tough time getting a comfortable fit for your little squirmer. Luckily, lots of baby shoes come with adjustable or stretchy heels, making it that much easier to get the shoe on and keep it on securely.

Width

Since babies are notorious for having loads of chubbiness all over their bodies, it is no surprise that one of the toughest parts of their foot to plan for is the width. Lots of infants carry an extra thick layer of chub on the sides of their feet, making it appear that they need a bigger shoe than their foot length calls for. There are a couple of ways that you can work around this difficulty. You could either get a bigger shoe, purchase a wide variety of baby shoe, or get one with lots of give that will mold itself to whatever width your baby’s foot might be comfortably.

It’s All About Sole

According to Dr. Laura Jana, baby shoes work best if they have a flexible grippy sole. This allows the to explore their world comfortably, all while developing the necessary muscles and balance they will need as they become more experienced walkers.

What Kinds of Shoes Should I Be Looking for Based on My Baby’s Age?

Now that you understand how to check to see if the shoe you’re interested in will fit your baby’s feet, it’s time to consider what kind of shoe you’ll need to match your baby’s developmental stage. Obviously, you’ll need to look for different key features in a shoe for a 3-month-old compared to shoes for a 2-year-old.

• 0-6 months – At this stage of their development, babies don’t do a whole lot of movin’ and groovin’. So, you won’t need a shoe that is designed to take too much of a beating. In fact, the softer, roomier, and more comfortable a shoe is, the better it will be for your baby’s feet during this period. Not that you couldn’t get a shoe with a hard sole. It won’t hurt their feet; it just isn’t necessary. Be sure to give them lots of room for their toes to wiggle, or it could hurt their development.
• 6-12 months – Ahhh, the crawling stage. No longer can you place your baby in one location and expect them to stay there! With this adjustment in your monitoring style, also comes a change in the style of shoes that you need to look for. Since most babies are only crawling during this period, or at the very most, pulling themselves to stand, you want to make sure that the tongue and toes of the shoe are made well since they will be bearing the brunt of your baby’s movements. If your little one is more advanced, and already taking some steps, you might want to get a shoe with a tougher sole as well.
• 12-18 months – This is usually the age that your baby will begin taking their first steps. How exciting!! This also means that you should begin to purchase shoes that have a thicker sole to protect their little feet from the roughness of the ground. Keep allowing for plenty of wiggle room around the sides and toes, too, as your baby’s feet are still adjusting and developing to handle the rigors of walking as their main mode of transportation.
• 18-24 months – Walking? That is sooooo six months ago! Now your little one is probably running all over the place. You should most definitely have a tougher sole on their shoes now, and it’s also a good idea for their shoes to have a tighter fit than before, to ensure that they don’t hurt themselves while they scurry about.

Baby Shoe Sizes by Age Chart

Here is a handy, dandy toddler shoe size by age chart to better help you to make sure that your toddler is in the perfect pair of shoes. However, while this is a great starting point, your baby may or may not fit into the categories listed here. If a shoe doesn’t seem to fit, don’t be afraid to go up or down a size.

As you can see, lots of the shoe sizes are really close to each other. When you take this, and your baby’s unique feet, into consideration, it is easy to understand that your baby might not line up exactly with this chart.

Some Great Shoes Regardless of Age

Again, there are literally thousands of choices out there for baby shoes. However, lots of them are inferior quality, don’t have the right fit for your baby’s development, or are just plain and simply not nice to look at. Then, when you add in the fact that lots of shoes on the market only come in a select number of sizes, shopping for shoes for your baby can be a real headache.

But don’t despair! The perfect shoe does exist! Aston Baby’s Shaughnessy shoe has a great fit for any age or size baby. Their high-quality construction and attractive design make them great for moms, while their tough sole and comfortable fit make them perfect for your baby. Add in the fact that they are built to be easy for parents to get on and hard for baby to get off, all while providing the proper developmental support your baby needs to grow, and these shoes are just too good to pass up!

If the Shoe Fits, BUY IT!

See, now, wasn’t that simple! Ok, ok, it got a bit technical in there, but it’s really not that hard to make sure that your baby has the right size of shoe based on their age. Make sure that the shoe fits them comfortably, isn’t too big or too tight, and has the right kind of sole for their developmental mobility. Oh, and make sure they look good, too! Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and find that perfect pair of shoes for your little bundle of joy! Good luck!