As a parent, ensuring your child's overall well-being is a top priority, and that includes paying attention to their footwear. Well-fitting shoes are essential for your child's comfort, development, and overall health. If you've ever wondered, "Does my child have wide feet?" you've come to the right place. In this blog, we'll explore the factors that determine whether your child needs wide shoes and provide you with valuable insights to make the best footwear choices.

Before delving into the specific considerations for wide shoes, it's important to understand the basics of foot anatomy. Children's feet are not just miniature versions of adult feet; they have unique characteristics that evolve as they grow. Younger children have softer, pliable bones and cartilage that gradually harden over time. Their feet also tend to be wider in relation to their length, and their arches may not be fully developed until later in childhood.

So what should you look out for?

• Frequent complaints of discomfort: If your child often complains of foot pain, discomfort, or tightness while wearing shoes, it might be a sign that their current footwear is too narrow.
• Red marks or blisters: Inspect your child's feet after they remove their shoes. Red marks, blisters, or calluses can indicate that their shoes are putting too much pressure on certain areas of the foot.
• Overlapping toes: Overlapping toes may be a sign that your child's shoes are too narrow. Toes should have enough room to move freely without overlapping.
• Bulging sides: If you notice the sides of your child's feet bulging out from their shoes, it's a clear indicator that the shoes are too narrow.
• Difficulty putting on or removing shoes: If your child struggles to put on or remove their shoes easily, the footwear may not have the right width.

When it comes to selecting the right shoe width for your child, here are some important tips to keep in mind. If possible, we always recommend having your child’s feet regularly measured by our Shoes & Sox Fit Squad in-store to ensure an accurate fit. If you are noticing any of the above signs, take both your child and the shoes you are concerned about in to visit us in-store, and our team can assess the fit of your shoes for you.

If you can’t make it in-store, you can check the fit of a new pair of shoes with two simple checks – a width check, and a length check. Check the length of a shoes by feeling for the child’s toes while they are standing in the shoes. It’s important to keep the toes flat, as when the child lifts their toes, they move backwards in the shoes. You usually want to allow a thumb space of room to allow for growth. To check the width, attempt to pinch the upper material of the shoe across the widest part of the foot. There should be some movement, however you should not be able to pinch the upper in your fingers. If there is no movement, or you can feel excess pressure on the sides of the shoes, the shoe is too narrow.

So you’ve discovered your child needs a wide fitting shoe – what now? Check out the below options for a wider fit in our Summer range.