Grandparents have been saying to grandchildren for years, “We’ll have to put a brick on your head if you keep growing!” Grandparents know that kids grow fast and that no brick will stop them. New parents, however, remain in disbelief toward the pace of their children’s growth and how often they need to replace Kids Shoes in El Cajon CA.
Experts Agree Most Kids Shoes Should Not Last A Year
Shoe fitting experts are skeptical when parents boast that their child’s shoes lasted a whole year. Shoe fitters will attest that shoes should be replaced when kids outgrow them or when they begin to show wear – both of which should happen more than once a year. Here’s a breakdown of how often children of various ages need shoe replacement:
Children ages 1 to 3 years grow a half to a whole shoe size every 3 1/2 to 4 months, children ages 4 to 6 years every 4 1/2 to 5 months, children ages 7 to 10 years every 5 months, and children ages 11-17 every 6 months.
Even if children don’t grow an entire size in the times listed, it’s still important to consider the effect of wear on shoe stability.
Sizing Up And Prolonging Wear Are Not Recommended
Granted, children experience growth spurts and do not grow at a predictable rate, but the information above is fairly universal. Shoe fitters caution against sizing up to allow room for growth. Shoes that are too big can impact a foot’s development, a child’s stability, and a shoe’s durability. Attempting to stretch the amount of time between shoe purchases by allowing children to wear shoes that are too small, can also negatively affect foot development and child stability.
Children Need A Variety Of Shoes Which Should All Be Sized Appropriately
Typically, children should be well-fitted for all of their shoes, but especially the shoes they wear the most like athletic shoes for sports or school. Parents can have a little bit of leeway in shoes that kids don’t wear as often and for only short amounts of time like dress shoes. Parents enjoy the self-sufficiency of slip-on shoes and sandals and will want to be sure those shoes are replaced at appropriate intervals.
The frequency of replacing children’s shoes can certainly be a financial strain. For affordable solutions to woes with Kids Shoes in El Cajon CA, visit 10 Dollar Shoe Store and More.
