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Have flexible soles, and non-slip bottoms to provide traction. |
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Be made of leather or canvas or another type of breathable material. |
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Have velcro closures – they are safer and easier than laces or buckles. |
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Have a ½ inch ‘wriggle room’ between your child's toes and the end of the shoe. |
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Be flexible across the ball of the foot and lightweight so they do not restrict important toe and foot mobility. |
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ActiveTots squeaky shoes not only comply with all these expert recommendations for your toddlers’ shoes but they can also offer the following benefits:
- encourage babies to take their first steps
- help with feet and leg gross motor skills
- great exercise as toddlers will love to walk and run as they listen to themselves squeak
- parents can easily keep track of their toddlers as they squeak around the house, shopping centre or outdoors
- a fun way of motivating children with visual and mobility disabilities to walk
- Babies are stimulated to move and explore and love the extra squeak when their feet touch the floor in their bouncy chairs
- Helps teach the concept of "cause and effect" from their foot movements
- A unique and different gift for a birthday or Christmas
And most importantly enjoy loads of fun and happy smiles on many faces young and old. |
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Further useful information to help you understand your child’s feet
The foot is a complex structure of 26 bones and 35 joints, held together and supported by scores of ligaments. A baby's foot is padded with fat and is highly flexible. Children generally begin to walk anywhere between eight and 18 months of age. Most toddlers are flat-footed when they first start walking, or tend to turn their feet inwards, because of poor muscle tone and weak ligaments in their feet. This will improve as the feet strengthen.
Wearing shoes
A child learning to walk receives important sensory information from the soles of their feet. It is important to allow your child to go barefoot regularly to help them develop balance, coordination and posture. Of course, going barefoot isn't always practical. When walking outside or on rough surfaces, toddlers’ feet need to be covered. Their soft, tender skin needs protection from the dangers of infection through accidental cuts and abrasion. This is when proper footwear becomes very important.
Growth of Children’s Feet
Children's feet grow very quickly and their shoe size may need updating every few months. Those under the age of 16-18 months can grow more than half a foot size every two months. Toddlers from the ages of 16 to 24 months grow an average of half a foot size every three months. When they are 24 to 36 months old they grow approximately half a foot size every four months. Over the age of 3 years of age, they increase half a foot size every four to six months.
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