Buying schools shoes, read this - written by podiatrists!
Choosing the right school shoe can sometimes be a daunting process for parents. After all, our kids are going to be spending the majority of their time in this shoe. When choosing the right school shoe for your child, we want a shoe that will let the foot develop naturally, especially in their early years.
A brief overview of children’s foot development.
Children’s feet are soft and malleable when they are young, as their bones develop and grow. During this stage, it is perfectly normal for their feet to be quite flexible, and to have a low arch. The goal of footwear during these years is not to support the foot, or hold it in a certain position. Instead, we want a shoe that allows the foot to move, feel the ground, and build strength through play.
For this reason, we recommend minimalist style footwear for the vast majority of developing kids feet. A minimalist shoe is least likely to interfere with this foot development process. In its simplest form, the primary goal of a shoe is to offer the foot protection from extreme heat/cold or potentially dangerous surfaces.
Traditional school shoes vs minimalist footwear.
Traditional school shoes are commonly built with thick, stiff soles, narrow toe boxes, and elevated heels. These features are often marketed as being “supportive,” yet in growing children they can limit natural foot motion, restrict toe splay, and reduce sensory feedback from the ground. Heel elevation in particular is rarely necessary for children. Raising the heel shifts load forward, alters ankle and calf function, and subtly changes walking mechanics, encouraging reliance on the shoe rather than the child’s own developing strength and control. Over time, this may reduce small foot muscle engagement and natural balance strategies.
Minimalist footwear takes a different approach by keeping the shoe flat, flexible, lightweight, and foot-shaped. This allows the foot, ankle, and lower limb to load and adapt naturally during everyday movement. For most children, this environment better reflects how feet are designed to function.
What to look for in a school shoe to encourage natural foot development.
WIDEST AT THE TOES to allow the toes to spread during walking.
A THIN and FLAT sole to allow the foot to feel the ground.
A LIGHTWEIGHT shoe to let the foot and body move without restriction.
A FLEXIBLE sole so the foot can develop and move naturally.
Minimalist-friendly brands worth knowing
Here are brands commonly chosen by families aiming for natural foot development:
PaperKrane
LEX Barefoot:
bprimal:
Vivobarefoot:
Tip Toey Joey:
The foolproof way to ensure the correct school shoe fit.
The easiest way to determine the best shoe size for your child is to measure their feet. Children’s feet grow quite rapidly, especially in the early years, so regular measurements are important. Each shoe brand may have slightly different sizing, which is why the measuring methods works well.
How to measure your children’s feet:
Trace the outline of your child’s foot while they are standing, and measure the distance from the centre of the heel, to the longest toe. When your child stands, check there’s space in front of the longest toe. Keep in mind that sometimes the first toe is not the longest toe.. You want a little growing room, around 1-1.5cm. Don’t forget to check the width as well.
The bottom line
For most children, the best school shoe is one that is foot-shaped, flexible, flat, and secure. These shoe features let the foot do what it’s designed to do: feel, adapt, and get stronger over time. These recommendations are general in nature, and may not be suitable for every child. There may be some cases where more support is required. If your child’s development has not followed a typical progression, then it is highly recommended that you seek professional advice for more individualised advice.
Meet the podiatrists
Hi! We are Chloe-May and Travis, Brisbane based sport and exercise podiatrists at Functional Soles Podiatry.
We have a huge passion for managing injuries of the lower limb, and utilising the strength of our own feet to overcome pain and return to regular activity. Whether you’re a runner, a weekend warrior or a child, we want you to be able to enjoy life without foot and lower limb pain.
Find us: functionalsoles.com.au
Follow us: @functionalsoles