Little Feet Friendly Shoe Guide

Ever wonder what shoe is best for your little one's feet?

It's simple: barefoot all of the time unless they need protection, then aim for a shoe that maintains barefoot state as best as possible.

Being barefoot is one of the best things for developing feet. Little feet are still forming, growing, building strength, balance, coordination, working on supporting their body ground up, and providing proprioception (telling their brain where their body is in space). They are meant to move, grip, splay, climb, take impact, and navigate over challenging surfaces.

Shoes can often restrict the natural movement of the foot, especially if worn too early, too often, or made of rigid material or unnatural shape (shoving naturally splayed toes into a round or pointed toe box). Over time, foot wear can have influence on the shape of the foot as we age, placing more stress and impact through specific points of the foot instead of distributing those forces evenly. This can lead to issues in the foot, ankle, knee, and so on. This may also lead to bunyons down the road.

Remember, we want foot-shaped shoes, not shoe-shaped feet.

Here is a great checklist:

✅ flexible & minimal sole (you want the foot to be as close to the earth as possible to allow for max effectiveness of foot receptors that communicate with the brain and let it know where the foot is in space to help with balance and coordination)

✅ wide toe box (toes sit naturally in shoe as if they were barefoot, no overlapping or squished toes!)

✅ can roll toe to heel easily (like a cinnamon bun)

✅ can twist through middle easily (like wringing out a wet cloth)

✅ zero heel drop (sole is same thickness from heel to toe, no lift, cushion, heel)

Shoes should allow the feet to move like feet!

Try to avoid hand me downs when you can! Although they come with great intention, these shoes often hold wear patterns from the previous child.

Barefoot will provide the best benefit to a developing foot as it allows for appropriate challenge and strengthening of intrinsic foot muscles that hold the three foot arches up, works on balance, proprioception, and sensory integration from the earth to the brain! 🧠 🦶🏼

Here are some of our favourite footwear options for little feet:

new walker soft sole	Stonz Willow
baby shoe	Stonz Cruiser
toddler/child shoe	Stonz Cruiser Saguaro Kid's Luck Feel Grounds Original Mesh Kids
toddler/child rain boot	Stonz Waterproof Rain Boots
new walker/baby winter boot	Stonz Puffer Booties MEC Toaster Booties
toddler/child winter boot	Stonz West Waterproof Boots
baby/toddler/child water shoe	Amazon Water Shoes Stonz Roamer Knit Water Shoe
baby/toddler rainboot	Amazon Rain Boots