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Once your baby has mastered some of the earliest forms of movement, like crawling and pulling themselves up, shuffling, rolling about and cruising between items of furniture (or willing adults), they’ll be ready for the next big challenge - walking.

Babies often start to walk between nine and 24 months of age – some even later. It varies from child to child and there’s really no ‘right’ time for them to start.

At this stage the bones of the foot are still soft and some have yet to form. So putting too much stress on the feet can cause problems later in life. As the muscles and bones start to get stronger and to work well together, your baby will let you know they’re ready for those first big steps. But it’s a good idea not to encourage them to walk for any longer than they want to or are able to.

You’ll have noticed that babies walk in a very different way from adults. They walk stiff-legged, with little movement in the leg or ankle and they stamp each foot down as they go. The arms are held out for balance and they’re unsteady. It’s very important that the shoes you choose for this stage give them good stability and protection from hard floors, so that they can enjoy their first steps as much as you do.

There are now 25 bones forming your child’s foot. Some, such as the navicular bone on the instep, are still to be formed and there is instead a fatty pad. So while the bones are still growing and changing, you must ensure your baby’s shoes are well fitted and that you get expert advice and 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.

Continue to allow your baby plenty of shoe-free time and don’t wrap or cover feet tightly at night. Socks and tights should fit well, with plenty of room for toes to wriggle, but not so loose they ruck up and cause blisters and corns.

Click here for more information about walking development

Shoes for Walking

At this stage, you should look for shoes where the sole is cut close to the foot to prevent tripping. They should have lightweight, flexible soles, allowing your baby to feel the floor and grip and flex their toes. The uppers should be made from soft, breathable material, helping to keep feet fresh. And there should be padded collars around the ankles to support and protect against the ankle turning over. Girls shouldn’t wear high heels - walking is a tricky task to master and unstable shoes won’t make it any easier!

Fastenings on these shoes, whether buckle or Velcro, should be very easy to adjust and you should now allow 14mm growing room at the toe. You should look for a choice of widths and half sizes and well-trained fitters.

Click here to view the full walking range at Clarks