When should your baby get their first shoes?

There’s a question almost every mother asks herself somewhere between month six and month ten: does my baby need shoes yet? Grandma says yes, a cousin shows up with a catalogue of adorable little booties, and somewhere on Instagram a podiatrist is saying the exact opposite. If you’re at that point, this article should clear up most of the noise.

The short answer is that, for much longer than most people assume, the best shoe for a baby’s foot is no shoe at all. But there is a moment when that changes, and it helps to know how to recognise it, and what to look for once it arrives.

The first months: better barefoot or in soft booties

During the first months of life, a baby’s feet are, above all, a sensory tool. In newborns, the tactile sensitivity of the feet is actually finer than that of the hands until around eight or nine months of age. With bare feet, the baby explores, touches, brings their feet to their mouth, and all of that is part of their neurological development.

Leading paediatric and child podiatry associations recommend avoiding structured footwear until the baby walks independently, which usually happens between 12 and 18 months. At home, the best approach is to leave your baby barefoot whenever the temperature allows it; if it’s cold, soft booties or non-slip socks do the job perfectly without interfering with anything.

As one paediatrician specialising in child development puts it: if the baby isn’t walking yet, they don’t need shoes. At this stage, shoes add nothing, and can actually limit the natural movement the foot needs in order to develop.

When do children start walking: developmental stages

Motor development doesn’t arrive all at once. Most babies follow a broadly similar pattern, even if each one has their own pace:

• Between 6 and 9 months: babies sit up unaided and start moving by crawling.
• Between 9 and 12 months: they pull themselves up on furniture and take their first supported steps.
• Between 12 and 18 months: most start walking unsupported, though shakily at first.

Throughout this stage, a baby’s foot is mostly made of soft cartilage that hasn’t ossified yet, and is naturally flat due to fat padding and underdeveloped foot muscles. It’s a foot under construction. And like any structure under construction, the less outside interference it gets, the better it builds itself.

Your baby’s first shoe: what it should look like

Once your baby starts walking independently, and especially once they start doing it outside, on surfaces that can be cold, hard or uneven, that’s when it’s time to think about their first shoe.

But “first shoe” doesn’t mean what it used to. We’re not talking about a stiff boot that “supports the ankle”, or a thick sole that “protects” the foot from everything. The only real function shoes should serve at this stage is protecting the foot from injury and infection, nothing more.

That translates into four non-negotiable features:

• Ultra-flexible sole. It should bend and twist almost like a piece of fabric. A rigid sole stops the foot from moving the way it needs to.
• Wide toe box. Your baby’s toes need to move and spread freely inside the shoe, just as they would barefoot.
• As light as possible. The lighter, the better. A heavy shoe forces a baby to alter their natural gait just to compensate for the weight.
• Zero drop. No height difference between heel and toe. This lets posture and balance develop exactly as they would without a shoe at all.

Why barefoot shoes are ideal for first steps

This is where barefoot footwear comes in, and it’s not a trend, it’s simply a logical continuation.

Studies on children who had just taken their first unsupported steps compared foot structure and gait patterns with and without conventional footwear, and found clear differences: conventional shoes introduce restrictions that can affect proper foot formation.

In other words: a well-designed barefoot shoe is, quite literally, the closest thing to no shoe at all, just with the protection that pavement, a park, or a school playground actually require.

That same research built on earlier findings showing that wearing shoes in early childhood can impair the development of a normal longitudinal foot arch. The arch of the foot builds itself through free movement during these early years, and a rigid shoe is simply the wrong obstacle at the wrong time.

For a mother, this comes down to something very concrete: choosing the first shoe isn’t just about style, or “it’s about time he had some”. It’s a decision that either supports or works against your child’s natural foot development during the very years that development is being shaped.

Common mistakes when choosing the first shoe

• Buying shoes “to last longer”. It’s tempting to go up a size so the shoe lasts longer. But an oversized shoe makes a baby drag their foot, lose stability, and change the way they walk to compensate.
• Prioritising ankle support. The idea that babies “need” ankle support has no basis in natural foot development. The ankle grows stronger through free movement, not by being restricted.
• Choosing looks over flexibility. A beautiful shoe with a stiff sole is still, from the foot’s point of view, a stiff-soled shoe.
• Waiting too long to check sizing. A baby’s foot can grow a full size in just a few months. Checking every 8-10 weeks prevents shoes from becoming too small without anyone noticing.

Size guide for babies aged 0 to 3

As a rough guide, it’s always best to measure your baby’s foot at home before buying:

Length isn’t the only thing that matters: in barefoot shoes, the toe box needs to be wide enough that toes can move without touching the front of the shoe. About 5mm of extra space at the toe, no more and no less, is usually the sweet spot.

FAQs about your baby’s first shoe

At what age can my baby get their first shoe?

There isn’t a fixed age on the calendar, but a clear signal: once your baby starts walking independently, usually between 12 and 18 months. Before that, the best option is bare feet or soft booties at home.

Is it bad for my baby to be barefoot at home all day?

No, quite the opposite. As long as the temperature is comfortable, being barefoot is exactly what the foot needs at this stage to develop normally.

What happens if I put them in a shoe that’s too rigid too early?

It can limit the natural movement of the foot and ankle at a time when that freedom of movement is essential for the arch and foot muscles to develop properly.

Do barefoot shoes work for colder months too?

Yes. The key is that they keep the foot warm without giving up sole flexibility or a wide toe box.

Should I buy several pairs at once in case their feet grow fast?

There’s no need. Checking the size every 8-10 weeks is enough to stay ahead of growth without ending up with shoes that barely get worn.