How to choose shoes for your child by size: children's shoe size calculator

Children's shoe sizes vary depending on the country and brand, so it's not a good idea to base your choice solely on your child's age. To avoid making a mistake, use a table or online calculator created specifically for the convenience of parents.

It interactive calculator, which will help you quickly determine the size. All you need to do is select the age of the baby, and then in the window select the required leg length or size from any grid. The calculator will automatically show the appropriate sizes of children's shoes in all the most popular size grids.

Of course, it is best to try on a new item when choosing it, so that the baby can participate in the choice and express his own opinion. But there are cases when trying on is not possible - for example, when buying online or you do not want to drag your child around the shops. For such situations, you need size charts for shoes and clothes. But here you need to take into account several nuances:

1. The sizes of American, European and domestic brands are measured in different units and can differ significantly. Moreover, many well-known brands create their own size charts.
2. Shoe size is based on the length of the foot, which must be measured correctly and compared with the appropriate chart.
3. When choosing shoes by size, don't forget about the width of the child's foot - children's shoes should not be narrow or too wide.

Source: pixabay.com

How to measure a child's foot

Remember that a small foot grows very quickly, so it should be measured at least once every 1-2 weeks if the child is under 5 years old.

• Place the child on a sheet of paper – measurements should be taken while standing.
• Circle both of the baby's legs with a pencil or pen.
• Connect the two furthest points in both pictures – from the tip of the thumb to the heel.
• Measure the distance, if it is different in the two pictures, choose the larger result.
• Add 1 cm to the number - this margin is necessary for the child's leg.
• Compare the length of your child's foot with the size chart of the shoe you plan to buy.

If there is another way, it is simpler and suitable for those restless people who find it difficult to stand still. Wet the child's bare feet with a damp cloth, then place the child on a large sheet of white paper so that wet prints remain. Then everything is simple - take measurements as in the first option and do not forget to measure the prints of both feet.

Source: pixabay.com

How to determine children's shoe size

So, the measurements are done, but don't rush to look at the table. To choose the size of children's shoes, you need to make a few more calculations.

• Choose the number that corresponds to the length of the larger foot in millimeters.
• Add 6 mm to the length of the child's foot - this is the first value
• Add another 6 mm to the resulting value, then convert both values ​​to cm.
• In the size chart, find the size values ​​that match both values. The optimal size for your baby will be the one that falls between these values.

If there are two sizes between the readings you calculated, you should focus on the fullness of the baby's leg - for full children, choose a larger value, for thin ones - a smaller one.

How a child's foot grows

A child's foot grows very quickly, so it is important to constantly monitor whether the baby has outgrown its size. The approximate growth rate of a child's foot is as follows:

• In the first year, the leg increases by about 2,5 cm - that's 3 full sizes.
• By the age of 3, the growth rate of a child's foot is already 1-1,5 cm per year, which is from 2 to 3 sizes.
• At the age of 1 to 5, it grows to 1,6-1,8 cm. (2 full sizes) per year.
• The foot of a child over 5 years old grows by approximately 0,6-0,8 cm per year, which is approximately 1 size.

But it is important to consider that these are average data, each child can grow at their own speed. Therefore, it is worth checking the size of the shoes at a certain frequency:

• 1 – 3 years every 3 months
• 3 – 6 years every 4 months
• 6 – 10 years every 5 months

Source: ppgad@pucrs.br

Stock of children's shoes

Children's shoes should not be "tight", but they should not hang around the foot either - never buy shoes for your child "for growth". It is best to determine the margin, that is, the free space from the tip of the child's big toe to wearing shoes, using the insole from the shoe that the child is currently wearing. Place the child's foot on the insole, measure it and add 1-2 cm.

It is important for what season and for what purposes you choose shoes. When choosing summer sandals and flip-flops, add 8-10 mm, for sneakers and sneakers you need to add at least 10 mm, but boots and winter shoes need a margin of up to 15 mm.
This free space in children's shoes is necessary so that the foot can freely change size when the child runs and walks, the toes do not bend and nothing prevents the foot from growing. In winter shoes, the margin also allows you to wear a thicker sock, creating an additional air layer that protects the foot from the cold.

Importantly: Orthopedists do not recommend leaving a margin of more than 1 cm (for winter shoes up to 1,5 cm).

Source: instagram@mia_moda_women_

How to understand that the shoes are too small for a child

A small child cannot always explain that his shoes are squeezing him – he simply will not understand what is happening. Attentive parents will notice if the baby refuses to put on his usual shoes, without even explaining the reasons, becomes capricious after putting on shoes and shows inexplicable anxiety – all this is a reason to make sure that the child’s foot is comfortable in the shoes. As for the smallest ones, even if the shoes are “squeezing”, the baby may not notice it – the small foot is protected by a layer of fatty tissue, which reduces the feeling of pain, but does not save from gradual deformation of the leg. Therefore, regularly measure the foot of a growing child and pay attention to the following indirect signs:

• Press your finger on the toe of the shoe your child is wearing – you should feel an empty space between the edge of the shoe and the tip of your thumb. If your finger hits the toe – it’s time to change the shoes.
• A piece of fabric should pass freely between the tongue of the shoe and the child's foot - if the top of the shoe is tight and fits too tightly to the child's foot, it is worth changing the size.
• Look at the shoe's foot from the side - if the back of the shoe hangs over the heel, the shoe is definitely too small.
• After taking off your child's shoes, look at their feet - if the shoes are tight, the skin will have "dents", redness, abrasions, the toes will be crooked, and later calluses may appear. And remember - the foot grows not only in length, but also in width, and the "rise" also changes.

How to measure the fullness of a child's leg

Manufacturers rarely indicate fullness in children's shoes, but it is important to know what this parameter is, how to calculate it, and what markings to look for on children's shoes.

Source: liveinternet

To find out how full a child's foot is, you need to use a soft measuring tape. Wrap the tape around the child's foot at its widest point below the toes - along the heads of the metatarsal bones. Measure both feet, and choose the larger value. In addition to fullness, see fullness is indicated differently in different countries.

• F – For thin legs;
• G – For stronger (“massive”) legs;
• H – for full legs (wide feet with wide ankles);
• H 1/2 - for very full legs (very wide feet with wide ankles);

If the fullness is not specified, then the shoes are of average "normal" fullness.

Source: freepik

Children's shoe size systems

There are several commonly accepted systems for designating children's shoe sizes. The most common are metric, bar, and English.

1. The metric system of sizing children's shoes is the simplest - the size corresponds to the length of the foot. For example, if the foot length is 20 cm, you need size 20, and the step between sizes is 0,5 cm.
2. Bar-mass system. The unit of measurement is a bar, which is equal to 2/3 cm (0,66). To determine the size, the insole is measured, and to independently calculate the required shoe size, you need to divide the length of the child's foot by 0,66, with a margin.
3. The English system, based on the size indicated in inches. The standard is the standard size of a newborn's foot, and the numbering then goes through 1/3 of an inch. To convert inches to cm, you need to multiply the number by 2,54. For example: 5,2 inches * 2,54 = 13,21 cm.

But it is important to consider that many manufacturers use their own size chart, which may differ from the generally accepted one.

Children's shoe size chart

Children from birth to 1 year

Children from 1 to 5 years old

Children from 6 to 10 years old

Size chart of children's shoes from different manufacturers

George

Clarks

Complete range of children's shoes Clarks

Marks & Spencer

Children's shoe size chart by age

Next

Source: next.ua

ECCO

Source: ecco.com.ua

Geox

BABY

UNIOR

How to measure a child's foot. Video