First walking shoe size comes from measured foot length plus 9-15 mm of growth room. Convert EU and US sizes from foot length, not from labels.
First walking shoe size comes from a measured foot length plus growth room, not from the child’s age or the number printed on the last pair. Measure the longer foot standing against a wall in the late afternoon and add 9 to 15 mm, the allowance Müller das Schuhhaus reports makers use as of September 2026. That result, not the EU label, picks the size. The rule applies once a child walks outdoors, because the American Academy of Pediatrics says socks are enough before that (HealthyChildren, updated June 2015).
What decides the right first walking shoe size
Four inputs decide the right first walking shoe size: measured foot length, the growth allowance a maker builds in, the shoe type, and the size system. Brands publish different charts for the same foot, so a printed EU number and an age tell you very little on their own. Buyers who audit factory spec sheets hit the same wall with garments, and our clothing quality control guide covers how to check a chart against a measured input instead of a label.
| Factor | How it changes the answer | How to check your own case |
|---|---|---|
| Measured foot length | Sets the base size on every chart | Measure standing against a wall in the evening and use the longer foot (Müller das Schuhhaus, September 2026) |
| Growth allowance | Makers add roughly 9–15 mm; Ricosta, Pepino, superfit, Vado and Koel already include it in the chart, Bisgaard and Naturino do not (Müller das Schuhhaus, September 2026) | Read the note printed under the brand’s chart |
| Shoe type | Bisgaard first walkers take foot length plus about 1 cm, winter boots plus about 1.5 cm | Apply the rule printed for that model |
| Size system | EU and US numbers do not line up; the ISO/TS 19407:2015 children’s chart puts EU 27 at a 16.6 cm foot, the same foot as US 10 | Convert from foot length, never from a US label |
| Growth speed | Under 16 months a foot grows more than half a size in 2 months, and from 16 to 24 months it grows half a size every 3 months (AOFAS FootCareMD, current in 2026) | Date the last pair and set the next order date |
What first walking shoe size to order in four common cases
Four cases cover most first walking shoe orders, and each one ends in a different number.
The child started walking between 9 and 18 months
AOFAS recommends a high-top shoe for children aged 9 to 18 months, because it stays on the foot better than an oxford or a low-top athletic shoe, and it says a leather or canvas tie shoe fits small feet better. The same source says the sole should be smooth like the palm of your hand and that toddlers need no heel, because flat outer soles make it easier to begin walking. First walkers built on a thin, flexible sole fit that description; a shoe with rigid support does not.
The product page lists only EU sizes
Convert from foot length, not from a converted label. The EU children’s chart in ISO/TS 19407:2015, published by Calconi and reviewed on November 29, 2024, lists EU 27 at a 16.6 cm foot, the same 16.6 cm foot at US 10, and one EU size as 0.667 cm. A German shop then adds its growth allowance on top of that chart, which is why a US 10 and an EU 27 rarely produce the same order. The check is the same one buyers apply to factory data before committing to overseas clothing sourcing orders: verify the chart, trust the measurement.
The brand lists insole length instead of a size range
Bisgaard publishes the interior length of each model rather than one shared table, and Müller das Schuhhaus reports the rule as of September 2026: add about 1 cm for first walkers and sandals, about 1.5 cm for winter boots, and 1 to 1.5 cm for all other shoes. Naturino takes 1.2 to 1.5 cm on top of the measured foot. The size to order is the one whose stated interior length is at least your measured foot plus the allowance.
The child’s foot is wide or the chart runs narrow
Most children need the medium width, and a strong foot or a high instep usually needs the wide one, because Ricosta, Pepino and superfit label widths as W, M and S (Müller das Schuhhaus, September 2026). AOFAS adds the physical test: look for a rounded toe box so the toes have room to move.
How to calculate a first walking shoe size
Four steps turn a tape measure into a first walking shoe size, and the example below uses a foot measured at 16.6 cm.
- Measure in the late afternoon or evening, standing, in thin socks, with both heels against a wall. Mark the longest toe and measure to the millimetre (Müller das Schuhhaus, September 2026).
- Use the longer foot. Most children have one foot slightly longer, and the longer one decides the size (Müller das Schuhhaus, September 2026).
- Add the allowance, about 9 to 15 mm as a general figure or the brand’s own figure when the chart gives one. Skip this step when the chart already includes it.
- Find the size whose stated foot-length range covers the result, then check the shoe on the foot. The American Academy of Pediatrics, on HealthyChildren, last updated June 10, 2015, puts it this way: “the top of your child’s big toe should be about finger-width distance from the inside edge of the shoe.” AOFAS sets the same check at about half an inch between the toes and the front of a removable insole.
A 16.6 cm foot measured on the longer foot in the evening lands on the superfit chart at EU 27, listed there as 16.2 to 16.8 cm, and superfit states that no further length allowance is needed. The ISO chart reads the same foot as US 10. For a Bisgaard first walker the required interior length is 17.6 cm, and for Naturino it is 17.8 to 18.1 cm.
Lauflern Kinderschuhe, a German shop whose catalogue runs from 4.17 to 77.48 EUR across 1,551 items, sells that range in leather and barefoot first-walker models: a superfit Jungen Vento Sneaker at 19.36 EUR, a Kavat Edsbro at 27.45 EUR, a Bisgaard Raymond Barefoot Sneaker at 29.99 EUR, a Naturino Cocoon Lauflernschuhe at 30.00 EUR and a Bundgaard Rox Barfußschuh at 40.00 EUR, as of October 2026. Delivery runs 4 to 7 business days, shipping is 8 EUR and free above 45 EUR, returns stay open for 30 days after arrival, and payment is by credit card or PayPal. Ten Little answers the same sizing problem with a printable fit finder that buyers stand on instead of a size chart, and superfit publishes foot-length ranges for sizes 17 to 43 on its own shop.
What not to do when sizing first walking shoes
Three habits produce most wrong first walking shoe sizes, and two of them come straight from orthopedic guidance.
- Buying by age or by the size on the old pair. Feet grow in spurts: AOFAS puts the rate at more than half a size every 2 months under 16 months, half a size every 3 months from 16 to 24 months, half a size every 4 months at ages 2 to 3, and half a size every 4 to 6 months after age 3. Re-measure on a schedule instead, every 3 to 4 months (Müller das Schuhhaus, September 2026).
- Treating a tight new pair as normal. AOFAS, on its FootCareMD guide current in 2026, says: “If new shoes need to be ‘broken in,’ it means either they were not properly designed or not properly fitted.” Walk a few steps and look for redness or blisters.
- Ignoring width and sole type. AOFAS says to avoid very sticky and thick soles because they cause stumbles and falls, and Müller das Schuhhaus notes that most children need medium width. Prices and restocks also move between visits, so watch the brand rather than one saved product page; our clothing news roundup explains how to follow apparel updates by email and RSS, which works the same way for a shoe brand.
First walking shoe size: common questions
How long does one pair of first walking shoes last?
About two to three months for a new walker. The American Academy of Pediatrics, on HealthyChildren last updated June 10, 2015, says a toddler’s feet grow so rapidly that the first pair of shoes will not last more than two or three months, and it recommends checking the fit about once a month. AOFAS gives a slower figure of new shoes every three to four months, depending on how active the child is.
How do I convert a US toddler size to the EU size when buying first walking shoes?
Convert from foot length instead of from the US label. The EU children’s chart in ISO/TS 19407:2015, published by Calconi and reviewed November 29, 2024, puts EU 27 at a 16.6 cm foot and the same 16.6 cm foot at US 10. German size charts also carry about 9 to 15 mm of growth room, so a US 10 and an EU 27 do not always produce the same order.
Do first walking shoes need heels or stiff soles?
No. AOFAS states that toddlers do not need heels on their shoes, that flat outer soles make it easier to begin walking, and that very sticky or thick outer soles raise the risk of stumbles and falls. AOFAS also treats arch support as unnecessary, since most children younger than 16 months have flat feet and only develop an arch by age 6 to 8.