By Callum Linger, Brand Trainer at Start-Rite Shoes.
Choosing the right shoes for children is about much more than picking a size. As feet grow, their shape, flexibility and movement change, and the shoes they wear need to support that. A trained shoe fitter is always the ideal starting point, but I know not every family can get to one easily. In my role training retailers in expert shoe fitting, I see firsthand how the right knowledge protects growing feet.
That’s exactly why Start-Rite Shoes is committed to helping families achieve a confident, reliable fit at home through clear, practical guidance, especially as our recent research shows many parents are trying their best but are unintentionally making choices that could affect comfort and longterm foot health. For example, six in ten parents deliberately buy school shoes slightly too big, hoping they’ll last longer. It’s understandable, but it often leads to pain, discomfort and potentially unhealthy walking habits.
Why Flexibility Helps Children Move Naturally
Children’s shoes should move with the foot, not against it. A flexible sole that bends where the foot naturally bends helps children walk, run and play without working harder than they need to. Natureform shapes support this too, following the outline of the foot and giving toes room to spread. This small detail makes a big difference to balance and comfort, especially for younger children.
Fastenings matter as well. Riptape, buckles or laces should hold the foot securely at the ankle while still allowing the toes to move freely. When shoes don’t hold the foot properly, children often grip or drag their feet to keep them on. It’s no surprise that four in ten children have complained their shoes hurt, with oversized shoes being a common culprit. Gripping and dragging can cause rubbing, soreness and faster wear, all of which can be avoided with a secure, supportive fit.
How Children’s Feet Change as They Grow
Feet change throughout childhood, not just in size, but in shape and the way they move.
In the early years, lightweight, flexible shoes with plenty of toe room help little feet spread naturally and provide the sensory feedback children need to balance and become stable.
By middle childhood, foot shape becomes more established, whether that’s wide feet, narrow heels, high insteps or flatter arches. At this stage, width and depth matter just as much as length. Yet 38 per cent of parents don’t consider width at all, even though it’s a key part of achieving a comfortable, supportive fit.
By secondary school, feet are closer to their adult shape, but growth spurts can still affect comfort. Older children also benefit from materials that keep feet feeling fresh and hygienic. Whether that’s breathable leather, removable soles or Start-Rite’s Air-Rite technology, which lets trapped heat escape while keeping wet weather out.
Matching Shoe Shape to Foot Shape
Understanding foot shape makes choosing the right shoe much easier. Children with wide feet often also have high insteps, so deeper designs and adjustable straps are key to avoiding pressure at the sides. Wide-fitting shoes, such as our G and H fittings, give this extra depth and space. Narrow feet often need shallower styles with good coverage to create a snug, supportive fit. Children with high insteps benefit from additional depth to reduce pressure over the top, while flatter feet often feel more stable with supportive mid-foot construction.
Our recent research shows that while half of parents say ‘correct shoe size’ is their top priority, many still struggle to achieve it. A significant number rely on simple checks or shortcuts, and 47 per cent of reception-age children are wearing preloved shoes, which have already moulded to another child’s walking pattern. This is one of the reasons we’ve made helping families achieve a confident, accurate fit a strong priority this year.
We know many families still rely on the ‘thumb test’ when checking length. In fact, around three million parents use it as their main sizing method, but it doesn’t account for width, depth or how the foot moves inside the shoe. A more rounded check gives a much clearer picture of whether a shoe truly fits.
A Simple At-Home Fit Check
A good fit makes all the difference to how comfortable and confident children feel. Even without a trained fitter, the checks below give you a better sense of whether a shoe is holding the foot properly and allowing natural movement:
- Heel grip – while your child is sitting, gently pull down on the heel. It should stay comfortably in place.
- Top of the shoe – ask them to stand, then check there are no obvious gaps, especially around the heel.
- Ankle comfort – make sure the shoe is not rubbing the ankle bone. Padded collars should feel soft and supportive.
- Toe room – feel for the longest toe. It shouldn’t press at the end, but the foot shouldn’t slide forward either.
- Width and depth – check the sides and top. The foot should feel gently held, with no pinching, bulging or big gaps.
- Walking test – watch them walk. Shoes should stay secure, with no dragging, gripping or gaping at the sides.
For families who want extra reassurance, we created our Check the Fit visual guide and partnered with SizeWise, a digital measuring tool, to give families a complete at-home sizing solution when visiting a fitter isn’t possible.
Supporting Growing Feet Every Day
With children wearing their school shoes for more than 1,000 hours a year, getting the fit right really matters. Our research also found that a third of parents buy three or more pairs of school shoes each year, suggesting that poor fit may be contributing to faster wear and more frequent replacements.
For families looking for school shoes that support growing feet at every stage, Start-Rite offers designs shaped around children’s natural movement and foot development.
About the expert
Callum Linger is Brand Trainer at Start-Rite Shoes. Callum specialises in making technical fit guidance simple and meaningful for retailers and families alike. He leads Start-Rite’s retailer training programme drawing on his extensive experience in retail education, product storytelling and footwear technologies. You can explore the full school collection at www.startriteshoes.com/school-shoes and discover more about getting a better fit at www.startriteshoes.com/measure/check-the-fit.
