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Faithfully Free

NC Lifestyle Blog: Crafts, DIY, Food, Faith, Travel

August 19, 2016

Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit: Athletic Shoes For Kids

This post, Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit: Athletic Shoes For Kids is sponsored by Vocalpoint and Dick’s Sporting Goods. All opinions are my own.

Blisters, ingrown toenails, and sore feet are not a good way to start the school year that’s why we are sharing these tips with you before your kids head off to school.

Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit: Athletic Shoes For Kids

I don’t know about you, but I miss the early years. The days when I could walk into a store and buy things based on my child’s age. 12 months check. 2T check. Today my life is not that simple. With four children and growth spurts happening on a weekly basis, long gone are the days of shopping without my kids or even online.

Dick's Sporting Goods Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit Athletic Shoes For Kids

The girls start school in two weeks, and they both needed new athletic shoes so we headed to Dick’s Sporting Goods® because I knew they would have a huge selection to choose from. I always try to give the girls as many options as possible, so they don’t feel the need to buy shoes so that they don’t leave the store empty handed.

Shopping At Dick's Sporting Goods Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit Athletic Shoes For Kids

I have to admit this was the best back to school shopping experience we’ve had yet. I knew when we got there that the girls had no idea what they wanted, so I wasn’t sure how long it would take to bring home two pairs of shoes. Surprisingly, with as many pairs of shoes as Dick’s Sporting Goods had to choose from the girls quickly found colors that caught they loved (I think it’s funny that Anna always sticks so closely to what Lexi chooses).

If you don’t usually think of Dick’s Sporting Goods as a one-stop back-to-school shop, you should! I love shopping at Dick’s, and I never realized how much they have for the back-to-school season. They have EVERYTHING! Obviously, we got our shoes there, but they also have clothes, backpacks, lunchboxes, and more! Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself!

Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit: Athletic Shoes For Kids
How To's Tips For Finding The Perfect Fit Athletic Shoes For Kids

  1. BYOS: That’s right! Bring your socks! Don’t get me wrong; I love watching my kids try to stretch those little pantyhose sockets over their heads but if you want to get a good fit bring your child’s socks. The socks they wear every day are likely thicker than the disposable socks they provide in store so if you want to know how well your child’s shoes will fit when they get home, make sure, you bring their socks with them to the store.Funny story. The last time we went shoe shopping my daughter Anna tucked her socks into her waistband and just when I thought she had forgotten them whipped them out like some kind of Secret Service Agent. It was adorable, but also a you would have had to have been there kinda thing! 😛
    Back To School Shoes For Kids
  2. Standing Room Only: When your child is trying on shoes, they need to stand up. This is not the time for slouching. All of your child’s weight should be evenly distributed between their feet so you can see how the shoes look. This is especially important if your child has wide feet. If the shoes look strange when you stand over them looking down or appear stretched out at all they are not wide enough. While your child may be in love with these shoes if they aren’t available in wide you can forget about it, within a month you will be tossing them in the trash because they will start to come apart at the seams. Wide feet need support!
    Athletic Shoes For Kids
  3. Toe Testing: We’ve all done it, but are you doing it the right way? When you test your child’s toes, do you know what you’re looking for? The toe test is super simple, but there are a few things to remember. Ask your child not to curl their toes. It is a natural reaction for your child to curl their toes as soon as you start to press on the end of the shoes. Most parents automatically test the big toe are of the shoe, but your child’s big toe may not be their longest toe. Always measure from your child’s longest toe and make sure there is 1/2 inch of space between the longest toe and the shoe. A spacious toe prevents those nasty ingrown toenails.Kids Shoes 2016 Under Armour
  4. Heel Testing: Party in the front, business in the back. The shoe is the opposite of the mullet! The toe should be where the party is happening so keep it loose, and the heel is all business so keep it snug, Make sure the heel of your child’s shoe fits well. A snug heel will prevent blistering.
    Dick's Back To School Shoes For Kids
  5.  On The Catwalk: Watch your child walk the walk. So you’ve brought the socks, you’ve poked and prodded your child’s feet and heels, and now it’s time for your child to take these shoes out for a test drive. Watch your child walk the store. We don’t just walk up and down the aisle; we pretend like we are buying a car, and we take our potential new shoes out for a spin. The goal here for the child to forget they are wearing new shoes while I see just how well they fit. I watch for bowing on the sides, sliding off the back, and tripping over their own feet (which let’s be honest may or may not have anything to do with the shoes).

Kids Shoes 2016
I have learned a lot about finding the perfect fit for my children’s shoes. Most importantly, I have learned that you can never, and I mean never trust a child in a shoe store. They will always tell you the shoe fits. Always. Even if the shoes are falling off of their feet while you watch them stumble through the store knocking over everything in their path like Godzilla in Tokyo. I have played their game before and been burned. We buy the shoes they desperately want and end up listening to complaints about blisters and sore toes. It’s never worth it, and it’s never the shoes. It’s always the socks, or heaven forbid the poor toe’s fault. If for whatever reason you visit the shoe store, and your child is so zoned in on one pair of shoes that they are willing to chop their toes off to wear them home, just ask if they can order them online and have them shipped to your house. It’s not nearly as messy!;)

Enter to win a Dick’s Sporting Goods Gift Card Below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Blog, Family, Parenting Shasta Walton 50 Comments

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Comments

  1. Birdiebee says

    September 8, 2016 at 11:37 PM

    Thank you for the great tips as I will take them into consideration when buying my granddaughter her shoes this upcoming weekend. This was very helpful.
    Reply
  2. holly lawson says

    September 8, 2016 at 10:37 PM

    My daughter always gets new and well made shoes for school and cheerleading. Good shoes are a must!
    Reply
  3. Audrey T says

    September 8, 2016 at 9:40 PM

    Those are very good tips
    Reply
  4. Celeste Herrin says

    September 8, 2016 at 7:43 PM

    I honestly view Dick's Sporting Goods totally differently since reading your article! I guess I always thought they only had items used in sports. I can see I was completely wrong!
    Reply
  5. Faye Gates says

    September 8, 2016 at 6:31 PM

    All the shoes were cute. We just try them on until we think the shoe is a good fit.
    Reply
  6. Rena Walter says

    September 8, 2016 at 3:27 PM

    Very good idea!
    Reply
  7. tiffany dayton says

    September 8, 2016 at 2:24 PM

    Nice
    Reply
  8. MichelleS says

    September 8, 2016 at 9:55 AM

    Definitely make sure the kids walk around in the shoes to check where their toe is aligned.
    Reply
  9. Lisa Brown says

    September 8, 2016 at 5:44 AM

    good checklist. it can be hard to find the right shoes, so many factors to consider and comfort is number one.
    Reply
  10. Allyson becker says

    September 8, 2016 at 2:15 AM

    These are some awesome tips! Shoe shopping is not fun.
    Reply
  11. Rena Walter says

    September 7, 2016 at 2:22 PM

    Good Tips!
    Reply
    • Deborah Dawson says

      September 8, 2016 at 9:49 AM

      I know some kids who could use these shoes.
      Reply
  12. Celeste Herrin says

    September 7, 2016 at 9:06 AM

    I'm glad I reread this article. You make a great point about the big toe test! It's just automatic to test the big toe and not worry about the rest. I will pay closer attention next time! Thank you!
    Reply
  13. Jennifer Webb says

    September 6, 2016 at 11:50 PM

    I have had the hardest time finding shoes for myself since I was in middle school. At 29, I still dread shoe shopping. Thanks for the tips.
    Reply
  14. MichelleS says

    September 6, 2016 at 10:41 PM

    I hate going show shopping for kids because my little one grows like a weed!
    Reply
  15. Crystal Dowling says

    September 6, 2016 at 1:45 PM

    Very helpful. Thanks!
    Reply
    • Deborah D says

      September 6, 2016 at 5:06 PM

      nice shoes
      Reply
  16. Rena Walter says

    September 6, 2016 at 9:59 AM

    Thanks for the good information!
    Reply
  17. Austin H. says

    September 5, 2016 at 5:25 PM

    Thanks for the article, it helps finding the right size. It is always good to have feet measured for width and arch to find the right shoe
    Reply
  18. Crystal Walker says

    September 5, 2016 at 1:47 PM

    My Son has 3 of my Grandkids to buy shoes for and he luckily has 2 girls thAt are 3 yrs apart so they save the good shoes for the youngest one as she grows, he always goes to Walmart or PayLess for the best shoe prices
    Reply
  19. Crystal G Dowling says

    September 5, 2016 at 1:33 PM

    Good article. Lots of information. Thanks!
    Reply
  20. Celeste Herrin says

    September 5, 2016 at 11:57 AM

    Thank you again for the info. I haven't been to Dick's sporting goods yet, but I'll definitely keep them in mind next time!
    Reply
  21. lulu says

    September 5, 2016 at 8:07 AM

    My daughter would looooove this.
    Reply
  22. lulu says

    September 5, 2016 at 7:58 AM

    My daughters dream...
    Reply
  23. Christine Holliday says

    September 4, 2016 at 7:39 PM

    I just love the colours now!
    Reply
  24. Rena Walter says

    September 3, 2016 at 2:19 PM

    That helps!
    Reply
  25. Mindi Eden says

    September 3, 2016 at 9:47 AM

    Ill-fitting shoes can have a lot of negative effects!
    Reply
  26. J. Husin says

    September 3, 2016 at 9:19 AM

    Also don't go overspending on kids' shoes since you'll probably need to buy a new pair after 4-5 months because they'll grow out of it.
    Reply
  27. tiffany dayton says

    September 2, 2016 at 8:04 PM

    I like Nike shoes.
    Reply
  28. Rena Walter says

    September 2, 2016 at 4:02 PM

    Good news to me!
    Reply
  29. Celeste Herrin says

    September 2, 2016 at 9:27 AM

    Sizes are definitely not created equal! All this information is truly helpful. I look forward to shoe shopping next time!
    Reply
  30. Rena Walter says

    September 1, 2016 at 4:05 PM

    My son needs to know this!
    Reply
  31. Rena Walter says

    August 31, 2016 at 4:31 PM

    Thanks for the info!
    Reply
  32. Natalie says

    August 30, 2016 at 7:36 PM

    My niece needs new shoes for gym!
    Reply
  33. Celeste Herrin says

    August 30, 2016 at 6:57 PM

    I sure miss those early years too! Shopping was so easy then. Thank you so much for this information ...it is very helpful!
    Reply
  34. Rena Walter says

    August 30, 2016 at 12:26 PM

    My Granddaughters need these!
    Reply
  35. Mindi Eden says

    August 30, 2016 at 9:55 AM

    I almost went broke when my son went through a growth spurt!
    Reply
  36. Alejandra Carreno says

    August 29, 2016 at 3:26 PM

    Thanks for having this giveaway~it could definitely help with BTS shopping :)
    Reply
  37. Celeste Herrin says

    August 28, 2016 at 9:24 PM

    Great advice! This will really help when I buy the kids shoes. Thank you for taking time to give us these hints & tips!
    Reply
  38. tiffany dayton says

    August 28, 2016 at 6:46 PM

    Do alittle shopping at a time. So, you won't have to spend a lot of money at once.
    Reply
  39. Rena Walter says

    August 28, 2016 at 2:25 PM

    Sounds good to me!
    Reply
  40. Rena Walter says

    August 27, 2016 at 1:54 PM

    This is a great giveaway!
    Reply
  41. Christine Holliday says

    August 26, 2016 at 11:28 PM

    That's a great tip about the socks...fit is most important.
    Reply
  42. Rena Walter says

    August 26, 2016 at 10:15 AM

    My Granddaughters need this!
    Reply
  43. Alejandra Carreno says

    August 25, 2016 at 10:44 AM

    Thanks for having this giveaway! Shoes are always pricey this time of year since the kids need 2 gym shoes each, boots etc, this would help tons!
    Reply
  44. Rena Walter says

    August 25, 2016 at 10:31 AM

    This would be Great for my Granddaughters!
    Reply
  45. Alejandra Carreno says

    August 24, 2016 at 11:08 AM

    I love Back to School shoe shopping!
    Reply
  46. Rena Walter says

    August 23, 2016 at 2:21 PM

    Make a list and stick to it!
    Reply
  47. Alejandra Carreno says

    August 23, 2016 at 11:26 AM

    My tip for Back to School shopping is to shop throughout the year whenever you see a deal for supplies, just buy it then and store it for the Fall. I've saved so much throughout the years by doing this that I used $ saved to buy more Back to School clothes.
    Reply
  48. Alejandra Carreno says

    August 23, 2016 at 11:22 AM

    Finding the right fit for each of my kids is so important. Want them to be comfortable as they grow.
    Reply

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