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First walker shoes is a term to describe the shoes that your child will wear as they practice to walk for the first time – completely different to their actual first pair of shoes.
First walker shoes are quite important as they need to guide them to their first solid steps which are clumsy and tricky. The timing of getting this is simple and important, too.
Some people call first walker shoes cruisers, us included, as at this stage they are just cruising rather than fully walking.
When is the best time to buy first walker shoes?
It may seem like it takes forever for your baby to start walking, but once they make certain steps it happens quite quickly. Our recommendation for when to buy your first pair of cruisers is as soon as they start to stand themselves up on furniture such as the sofa etc. Eventually they will start to try and walk from one part of the room to the other, this is essentially walking – cruising.
Once you see them start to do this behaviour, get them measured and get a good pair of first walker shoes.
Get them measured
Don’t guess the size of your child’s feet at any stage – walking in shoes is harder than feet so they need to fit perfectly to support them and not making walking harder. The best place to get them measured (and to get the shoes in the first place) is Clarks.
What to look for in first walker shoes
- Comfort around the foot – When you go to buy first walker shoes, ensure the shoe is comfortable on the inside with breathable materials and no hard plastics which could dig in and cause discomfort.
- Comfortable sole – The sole on the inside should be shaped to support the foot and not completely flat. Feet are generally not flat so the sole shouldn’t be either
- Velcro or buckle – Don’t waste your time on laces which are hard to adjust and slow to put on and off
- Grippy but flexible bottom – Perhaps most important, the bottom of the show which makes contact with the floor should be grippy but able to bend with their gait.
- Raise front – The front of the shoe should raised and be off the floor. Flat fronted new walker shoes will cause them to trip due to their clumsy gait. The curved front makes it easier for them to take a step and stop the front catching on obstacles as they practice.
- Always buy new – Don’t get second hand shoes which could have uneven wear and dirt. New shoes need to be firm and clean.
Buying your first walker shoes or first walker wellies is a simple process, get them measured and pick a show which has all those features. When to buy first walker shows is just before they properly start to practice – picking themselves up on furniture is the one we think is the most obvious.
