Baby shoes can help to protect your child as they learn to walk.
And there are many reasons why they're highly beneficial:
- They protect feet against bacteria
- They add comfort
- They potentially improve circulation during cold weather (provided they're made from breathable materials and that they form an effective barrier against scrapes and scuffs).
It's very important that your infant is able to explore the world around them using their bare feet.
But should babies wear shoes when they're learning to walk?
In short, yes. Because shoes can actually assist them with their first steps while being absolutely necessary for safety.
Let's take a closer look at why baby shoes can actually assist with baby walking and crawling.
5 Ways Baby Shoes Help Your Child When They're Learning To Walk While Protecting Their Feet
Here are 5 reasons why baby shoes could be incredibly beneficial for your infant.
#1 They Enhance Comfort On Hard Surfaces And Motivate Babies To Walk More
When your baby is learning to walk and stand on carpets, it's great because their feet are cushioned and comfortable. But when they're trying to make their first steps outside or on hard floors they can experience discomfort and sometimes even pain.
In these circumstances, having a breathable protective layer on the underside of their feet will ensure that their bare skin doesn't come into contact with the lumps and bumps that often present themselves with hard flooring.
As long as the fabric used is breathable and allows them to maintain their connection with the floor--and develop the appropriate cognitive and muscular areas involved with walking effectively--there is no reason why baby shoes aren't beneficial at this time.
In fact, they could even motivate your little one to want to carry on learning to walk in any environment and speed up their progress.
#2 They Offer Protection Against Bacteria
Parents have enough to worry about when their curious little ones are wandering around finding lots of different critters, bugs and pieces of dirt to put in their mouths. But it's easy to overlook that our babies can pick up infections and illness through bacteria gathering in other areas of their body other than their mouths and stomachs.
It's for this reason that baby shoes offer a great barrier against bacteria, whether they're crawling or walking, that dramatically reduces the chances of any unexpected illnesses, infections or diseases.
If they're learning to walk, getting poorly can be a huge blow to their confidence. They'll associate standing and walking with feeling unwell. So, through offering protection from nasty unwanted elements like this, you'll allow them to develop in confidence and therefore much faster than if they don't wear shoes.
#3 They Promote Healthy Circulation During Cold Weather Periods
When we're cold, it can really hinder our ability to circulate blood around the body effectively. This can lead to impeded functionality in our extremities including our toes and fingers.
For a baby that's learning to walk, this will dramatically reduce their effectiveness when it comes to developing necessary motor skills to effectively operate and use their limbs including their legs.
As we lose a great deal of heat from our heads, hands and feet, it's important to seal it into these areas when the temperature gets a little chilly. That's if you want to see your child master their baby walking skills.
A good quality pair of baby shoes will allow you to do this, provided they're made from lightweight, breathable material that isn't restrictive.
#4 They Offer A Great Barrier Against Skin Damage
Provided you maintain a clean household, it's not likely that your infant will encounter any damaging debris as they explore their worlds indoors. This is the case when they're walking on carpets at least.
Whether outdoors or indoors though, walking on hard surfaces can expose their skin to small pieces of debris like stones or unnoticed pieces of dried/hardened food that can be a real nuisance if your baby steps on them.
When learning to walk, baby shoes provide great protection against pain, discomfort and those scrapes and scuffs as a result of skin damage.
#5 They Can Serve As A Form Of Positive Re Enforcement When Learning To Walk
Baby shoes can actually speed up your baby's walking progress by serving as a form of positive re enforcement. Of course, you'll need to add some comforting phrases to encourage them when they stand or walk.
This is a point that relates more to exploring outdoor spaces, but young kids generally love exploring the great outdoors.
If they associate their baby shoes with exploring, they'll begin to ask for them more. They'll want to get out there and develop their little muscles, navigating their way around everything from outdoor chairs to plant pots.
Eventually, they'll be able to walk outside unassisted. Provided you're there to supervise them at this crucial stage of their development, baby shoes can serve as a great incentive for moving tn areas that they otherwise might not have felt confident or happy in.
Have Baby Shoes Helped Your Child to Walk or Crawl More Effectively?
So, should babies wear shoes when they're learning to walk?
How's your experience of baby shoes been so far?
Have they helped your child to crawl or walk a little faster or safer?
What are your favourite type of baby shoes and why?
We'd love it if you could share this post and encourage other parents to explore the benefits of using good quality baby shoes during their child's early stages of development.
At Tiny Toes Baby Shoes, we like to provide helpful tips and guidance when it comes to anything baby footwear related. Or even anything about your babies development in general that relates to movement and activity*.
Read more help and advice in our blog posts.
*For the most accurate advice you should always consult with a qualified paediatrician.
