Time for Baby Shoes!

Hi T.,
When my son started walking, we let him go barefoot unless we were outside. Then we used Tip Toey Joeys. I got them from babystyle, but their website can direct you to other retailers http://www.tiptoeyjoey.com I LOVED them because not only did we all ways get compliments on them, but the bottom has a super soft sole, that still grips and provides a little support. And they were the easiest to get on and off-very important!
K. S.

Robeez (or the Target knockoffs) were great at first for my daughter. However, she is a little chub and they have become too tight (the elastic around the ankle) and cut into her. And she needed something with harder soles for school, so we have started with See Kai Run. I love them! They are super soft leather with soft nubuck footbeds and flexible rubber soles (good for new walkers). We made the switch when she had been walking for several months. They're a little pricey, so I recommend shopping around online and in person (Daisy Hill in the Arboretum area carries them).

Hi T..

We just bought my 10 mo. old the Mooshu Trainers and they are great. She really seems to like them--plus they have the removable squeeker to encourage her to walk. I like that the squeeking device can be removed and the style we got (Add-A-Bow) offers lots of versatility on a basic colored shoe.

Barefooted is the way to go unless you are going somewhere or outside. It helps them get a solid base under them for walking!

We had a lot of luck with the Target brand "robeez". They wear out so fast it is hard to justify spending so much on the Robeez, and the Target brand are around 15$. Please not the squeaky shoes. Those are so annoying to hear. They are kind of like those noisey books. Fun for a couple of days and then soooo irritating. We live in such a loud music filled, cell phone ringing, tv watching, radio playing environment already...do we need to add anything else?

Even though she is getting vertical, you still want soft soled shoes to help with muscular development and keep the sensation of bare feet on the floor. I've also read that it helps with their balance coordination if the child can learn to walk with a direct sense of their feet on the floor (instead of a hard soled shoe between them and the floor). For her, you'd want the soft soled product line of pedipeds instead of the hard flex sole for older toddlers/children.

You mentioned that you already have Pedipeds... Do you not like them? Pediped's are one of the few early walker shoes that are recommended by the APMA (http://www.pediped.com/Home/Whypediped.aspx).

I bought my daughter Robeez and Pedipeds when she was cruising. I liked the pedipeds because they are more substantial than the slipper like Robeez (and more protection in case she dropped something on her foot), however they are a bit expensive...

Of course, the ad for Pedipeds in Parents Magazine includes a free shipping code (ptt08) if you order online.

I agree with no shoes when at home, babies use their toes a lot when first learning to walk! My 1 yr old son just got his first pair of shoes this past weekend, now that he is truly walking.

On that note, try Sandy's shoe store on Anderson Ln. (rt next to Terra Toys) They will measure and fit your child's foot. Years of experience and they were great with my little guy.

robeez is great when they are still learning to walk. It's like a moccasin so they can still feel the ground. I tried the target version but found that the shoe was too wide for my son's foot and that the leather wasn't as soft as robeez. You can find robeez for half the price at the Round Rock stride rite outlets.