How to measure your child's foot

Every child is unique and the correct shoe size for any child depends on several factors. All children - boys and girls - have different feet, and it is important to find the correct shoes and shoe size for your child. 

How to measure your child's foot

Measure the length of your child's foot while they're standing upright. Be sure to measure both feet, as their left and right foot may be different lengths. Start by standing your child up against a wall with their weight evenly distributed between both feet. Place their heel against the wall and a book on the floor so that it is touching their longest toe. Then measure both feet in centimeters from the heel on the wall to the longest toe against the book.

To help you choose the best fit for your little ones, we have separate size guides per shoe here at Bisgaard where you can see what size corresponds to your child's foot length in centimeters. For example, the size guide for our sandals are different to our boots.

Finding the appropriate room for growth

It is important that your child's feet have space to move and grow in their footwear. Generally, you should leave between 1 - 1.5 cm of room for growth in a new pair of shoes or boots. Exactly how much depends on whether you are buying shoes or boots. For example,  you should leave 1.5 cm of room for growth for winter boots, while sandals and ballerinas should have no more than 1 cm.

Determine whether the width is appropriate

Many shoes and boots have soles that can be taken out, allowing you to assess whether the width of the shoe or boot is similar to that of your child's foot. The entire foot should be within the borders of the sole. Keep in mind that the internal measurements are not the same as the external measurements as material, lining and stitching take up space.

How your child's foot grows

Children's feet often grow in spurts. In order to make sure that your child hasn't outgrown their shoes or boots, it is a good idea to measure their feet around once every two months. Between the ages of 0 and 2, children's feet typically grow by approximately 2 cm a year. Between the ages of 2 to 5 however, growth slows down to approximately 1.5 cm a year. Finally, between the ages of 6 to 11, their feet usually grow by approximately 1 cm over the course of a year.

 

Source: Helen Lyng Hansen, Registered Nurse

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