Perfect Fit - A Quick Way of Measuring Your Child's Feet Before Buying a New Pair of Shoes

Buying quality shoes for your child is essential for their healthy development. Whenever you buy footwear, whether you are shopping for yourself or your child, there’s really nothing more important than ensuring you’re buying a pair in the correct size.

Our feet are the literal foundation of a significant proportion of our daily lives. The same applies to our kids. With a protective (and cute!) pair of shoes, your child can go about their business safely, happily, and comfortably.

Improperly fitting footwear is not just uncomfortable - it can cause injuries and get in the way of a child’s development. Plus, no one wants to spend money on getting a new pair of shoes delivered, only to discover they’re not the right fit.

So, when you go shoe shopping, find out your child's correct shoe size before making your final decision and purchasing their new footwear.

Read on to find out how you can accurately and efficiently measure your child's feet for footwear that fits them perfectly.

How to accurately measure your child’s feet

When parents purchase new footwear for their children, they might take their child's old pair of boots or sandals if the kids can’t be with them, and purchase the new footwear in a size or two up. This is not a method that always works.

If your child's old footwear was bought online or without specialist advice in the first place, its sizing may not be completely accurate.

If it’s not possible to bring your child in to be measured by our specialists, you can still avoid uncomfy footwear and a disappointed child. Grab a piece of A4 paper, or a newspaper you don’t mind making some marks on. You’ll also need a pen or a dark pencil. You can get it right first time, by following this method of measuring:

The best way to get the size right is to measure in millimetres from the end of your child's heel to the tip of their big toe. A quick and simple way to do this is to take a blank piece of paper and have your child stand on it. Make sure they are standing upright, as much as possible. One way to do this is to get them to bring their two feet together, about hip width apart. 

When your child is standing on the paper, mark a line by their heel and big toe. It’s worth measuring both feet, as we often have a slight difference between our two feet, and sometimes the difference can be as much as a whole size - always go for the bigger size in that case. When you have made your marks on the paper, measure the space between the two marks to get your child's foot size in millimetres. Feel free to bring the paper into us here at Bambini, if you can’t bring your child. We’ll do the rest.

Once you have this measurement in mm, all that’s needed is to compare the number to the shoe size chart we have on our Customer Care page. Although our easy-to-read size chart shows shoe sizes in various units, keep in mind that every shoe brand uses a slightly different sizing system.

For best results, measure your child’s shoe size in millimetres (or centimetres) and then match it to the size chart found under your selected shoe’s listing.

When you have identified your child's correct shoe size, based on the size chart, we strongly recommend you order your child's new footwear in that exact size. Unless you’re putting it aside for 4 to 6 months, which is the average growth time to be starting to think about moving kids up a size.

It can be tempting to size up, thinking we might get a few more months from our kid’s footwear. You’ll generally get four to six months of wear from perfectly fitting shoes anyway, and longer for older kids. Try this quick check: press your index finger towards the big toe when your child is standing completely upright, as described above. If the distance between their big toe and the end of the shoe is more than your index finger nail length (imagine the nail ends at the finger tip), then the shoe is too big,  

Unless the size is right, feet will move about in the shoe to try and adapt, toes might curl in order to get a grip in too-big shoes, and after a while, the instep may eventually fall inwards, as a result of the foot slipping around inside a too-big shoe.

Hip and knee challenges can be the result of ill-fitting shoes in the long term - this goes for kids and adults alike - it’s a good idea to make sure the adults in the house are also wearing shoes that fit! We recommend that you refrain from sizing up - or down - unless there is advice from the product brand that states otherwise. For example, Vejas are on the small side, compared to NZ and Australian designed shoes. If your child measures EU28 on the size chart, a 29 Veja would be needed. If the shoe you’re wanting is a Bobux or Pretty Brave - both designed in NZ - EU28 will be the perfect fit.

Before you make any final purchase, please do take a moment to read the product description to ensure you are ordering the best size option. If you have questions, feel free to contact us here at Bambini. We know shoes - we LOVE shoes - and we LOVE to hear from you. We can help you get that perfect fit, whether you are shopping online, or visiting us in our Thorndon store, and whether your child is with you or not.

Why it is so important for your kid’s shoes to fit properly

While children are developing and growing, what they wear on their feet is more important than many people may realise. Have you ever spent time wearing stiff and improperly-fitting shoes? After a little while, you end up with foot pain that can end up bothering you even after you take the shoes off.

Providing your child with well-designed footwear that gives your child a comfortable and safe fit pays dividends when it comes to walking, running and balance, and for everyday play and other activities that involve those precious feet.

By taking the time to correctly measure your child's feet and learn their correct size, you can prevent foot pain and ensure they enjoy wearing the quality shoes you invest in.

Where you can get good quality shoes for your children

Are you looking for comfy, durable, well-designed shoes for your child? Here at Bambini, we have everything you're looking for. We have an extensive range of clothing, footwear, and accessories for babies, girls, boys, and women. Our incredible selection is constantly growing, making us your one-stop-shop for beautiful, high-quality, comfy clothing that your kids - and you - will love!

If you have any questions about our products or anything else, please do not hesitate to contact our team. You can email us at or phone us on (04) 473 7380.

You can also directly message us while browsing our website bambini.nz. We can help with everything from correct sizing to general advice on how to choose the best clothing for you and your children.

Get your child the shoes they’ll love to wear - shoes that last and that fit perfectly. Find those perfectly-fitting shoes at Bambini! We’re here for you.