How to measure your child's feet

We hope this blog post helps you shop at Itsy Cotton for shoes with confidence. 

By properly measuring your child's feet and getting him/her the right sized shoes, you will avoid a whole host of health problems that come from ill fitting shoes such as in grown toenails. 

Once you get the right size for your child, buying shoes then becomes an easy thing to do as you just have to size up in the same model as your child's feet continue to grow.

Finally if you are unsure which size to get because your child's foot is between sizes, it is always better to size up. 

Steps to measure your child´s feet

1. Get a ruler, pen and piece of paper ready. 

2. Tape the paper to the floor and place your child's foot on it. 

3. Make sure your child is standing straight with his toes spread to ensure that his weight has been distributed evenly across the feet. If not, the feet will not spread and you may end up measuring a size too small. 

4. Draw a line behind their heel and another line in front of their longest toe (not necessarily the big toe), making sure you hold the pen vertical. 

5. Measure the distance between the lines in cm and check our shoe size chart. 

6. Make sure you measure both feet, as feet size might differ slightly for small children. 

7. Check the Itsy Cotton product size chart provided and select the size that will best fit your child´s feet.  

FAQs

1. How often do I need to measure my child’s feet? 

You should have a measuring session of your child's feet every 2-3 months. 

2. When should I measure my child´s feet? 

It is normal for feet to change sizes throughout the day. This is true for adults as well as for children. It is best to measure your child's foot in the afternoon where it is usually the hottest, as feet expand slightly when warm. 

3. Should I measure both feet?

Yes and use the biggest size measured when buying your shoes. 

4. My child's feet are in between sizes? 

Go for the bigger size – it’s always better to be slightly too big than too small. As long as the child can skip, hop and run around without the foot moving significantly inside the shoes, you’re good to go.

5. Socks? 

Our styles do not require the use of socks, but if your child is going to wear socks with them, do take this into account when measuring your child's feet, around 0.5 cm. 

6. Are orthopedic (looking) shoes better for my child´s feet?

Children's orthopedists are unanimous: From 0 - 2 years old, babies should be barefoot as much as possible to allow their feet to grow freely. From 2 years old onwards, absolutely any footwear is suitable for a healthy child as long as the shoe is of quality, properly sewn and properly selected for size. Unless your child has been diagnosed by an orthopedist, there is no need to buy shoes that market extra support for the child's feet. 

About our shoe size charts 

Our shoes follow a European shoe sizing chart. 

Each shoe model has a size chart to help you pick the best fit for your child. The size chart can be found in the product description of each shoe model. Please refer to the size chart relevant to the particular style to find the correct size. You should note that all size charts are orientative and for informational purposes only. 

The length measures the interior of the shoe for an accurate fit. This should be compared to the length of your child's feet or the length of the interiors of other shoes he/she already has. If your child is in between sizes, we recommend taking the next size up. 

Happy shoe shopping!

xoxo