Any recommendations for first shoes? 10 months +

[Lochie]

My little boy is very active and really loves to be on his feet. He can't walk but he can stand and take tentative steps if I hold his hands. We have bear floorboards in our house and I really want to get him his first walking shoes so he doesn't get any splinters....also I guess to get him used to the feeling of shoes as I don't think it'll be too long now til he is tottering around!

Any recommendations? What age do you have to get feet properly measured? He is coming up to 10 months. Its also a good excuse for me to go shopping for him again, I can't seem to stop myself! ;-(

Any tips appreciated.... x

[Vickster]

We used the soft leather shoes until our son was properly walking by himself (these ones actually shoes) and then had him fitted with clarks leather shoes at John Barnett on Lordship Lane.

(Edited as link not working - but they are called Shoo shoes)

[Lochie]

Thanks Vickster that link works. I love those shoes, we already have some he has grown out of. I don't know why but his feet seem really big and I get a lot of squawking from him when I try and ply his feet into age 1 year old little jelly shoes, as if they are too small. So maybe I will get his feet measured...

[Moos]

I think getting his feet measured sounds like a plan. My son's first shoes were called cruising shoes or something similar - sort of a cross between 'real' walking shoes with hard soles and the soft leather baby kind. They have thicker but bendy soles, and are very cute as well.

[prdarling]

Biff in the village are very very good for first shoes

[missd]

I got my son a pair of the mocci's

http://www.moccis.co.uk/

They sell them in oliver bonas. They're brilliant for wandering around on wood and outside but still allow them to use their little toes to grip the floor with

[Lochie]

Thanks re biff tip - i never think of them for shoes just clothes. Will check them out.

Those Moccis are so cute - really tugged on my heart strings;-)

[Belle]

yep moccis are great -s uspect Biff do them, and I got mine from Pretty Pregnant on Northcross Rd. We did get some cruiser type shoes when my son was cruising. The lady in the shop encouraged me to get him to go barefoot in the house though. Something to do with stability and growth too I think.

One thing - proper shoes for kids are SoOOO expensive! My son's new shoes cost more than mine!

[ryedalema]

I was always bought Startrite and Clarks shoes when I was a nipper so when we ventured to John Lewis (Oxford Street) and they had a huge range (plus other brands), we plumped for Clarks for her first shoes.

I'd go to John Lewis - it's heaving with kids and parents but they have a large range and the staff are well trained. We got her first pair of 'cruising shoes' when she was about your son's age. She curled her toes up for a bit making getting them on quite difficult but soon loved them and I think it encouraged her to 'cruise' a bit more.

Good luck - you might want a sedative before you go there, the noise level is crazy.

[Lochie]

Sedative comment noted - valium in bag!

What is 'cruising' by the way? Is it just when they hold on to the side of things for support?

I can't believe they are more expensive than women's shoes maybe shopping isn't looking so appealing after all!

[kristymac1]

Lochie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sedative comment noted - valium in bag!

> What is 'cruising' by the way? Is it just when

> they hold on to the side of things for support?

> I can't believe they are more expensive than

> women's shoes maybe shopping isn't looking so

> appealing after all!

Spot on - cruising is when they walk around furniture hold on to 'anything' for support. Unless your little man has very wide or very narrow feet (in which case Startrite shoes may be a better bet), then you can't really go wrong with Clarks - John Barnet's have a sale on a the moment and they did seem to have a reasonable range of 'cruisers'. As an ex-Clarks children's fitter (many many moons ago), I have to say I don't find John Barnet's or Biff particularly good/consistent at fitting shoes well - your best bet is to go to an actual clarks shop, you're guaranteed the fitters are well trained and not just out to meet their sale's targets..... There is a Clarks warehouse shop on Rye Lane (a couple of doors up from Primark), the staff are trained and the kids shoes are at least half the price of 'normal' clarks shops.

[Lochie]

Thanks Kirstymac - the Rye Lane shop is where I got my first shoe fitted so it seems right I should probably go there for sizing! I didn't know it still did fitting (looked like a seconds shop) but if it does I will defo head down there x