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There’s a huge difference in foot development between a baby who is starting to take their first steps and the running, jumping and skipping you’ll see in the playground on your child’s first day at school. During that time, between the ages of one and four years, your child’s feet will have continued to undergo the huge changes that started with soft, unformed bones and ends up with fully functioning feet capable of all sorts of activities.
Early on, children walk with stiff legs and hips, with knees turned out and with a flat-footed stomp. Their hip joints will then start to rotate, turning their feet and knees forward and they start to be able to balance without using their arms. The bones of the feet are continually growing, forming and changing during this time, so good foot care is essential. The navicular bone in the instep, which is missing in babies, starts to form and then to harden and the 'puppy fat' around the bones starts to disappear, leaving the feet looking more like an adult’s. Your child’s foot now has an astonishing 45 separate bone centres, many of which will grow together over the next 15 years.
Your child’s walking pattern will start to change too, from a flat-footed stamping motion to a heel-to-toe walking style. They’ll start moving and flexing their knees and ankles at this stage too, making walking more fluid. They may still find it hard to change speed or direction but they will start learning to run and jump.
With so much change going on, you need to continue checking their feet regularly to make sure shoes fit and don’t rub or squeeze the soft tissue and bones. You should continue to have their feet measured every two to four months.
If you think there is a problem with your child’s feet, you should ask a health professional or go to a local Chiropodist or Podiatrist for advice.
Click here for more information about Pre-School walking development
Shoes for Pre-School
At this stage, you should look for shoes which have very flexible fore-parts and shaped and stable back-parts with additional padding to cushion those busy little feet. The uppers should be a soft, breathable material to help keep feet fresh and there should be fully adjustable fastenings for a fit that’s snug but not too tight.
You need a good 14mm growing room and the soles and heels need to be firm and stable to avoid your child turning their foot over. You can also look for additional features on this type of shoe – for example, shock-absorbing soles. You should look for a choice of widths and half sizes and well-trained fitters. Never choose shoes with a high heel for girls.
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