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Disclaimer: I don't have kids myself so this is a general question. Many of my friends do have children and I sometimes buy things for them. (Location Germany)

I wonder if "cheap" shoes you can buy on amazon or in cheaper stores (like H&M) are bad for the development of the feet of children.

Two examples:

I remember having cheap boots when I was around 10, and I started walking weird, so my parents started buying more expensive fitted shoes for me.

My best friends daughter (4years) started playing soccer, and we were worried about her ankle support, so I gifted expensive soccer shoes for her birthday. (which she already grew out of, ofcourse)

Do you have experience on how to keep the feet of your children safe during sports, and day-to-day wear? When buying shoes, how can I make sure that they are save to use?

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The important thing is that the shoes fit well, and the most important factor in that is to have the right size.

I strongly doubt there is much correlation between the price of a shoe and how well it fits, except of course for custom-made shoes. A good shoe salesperson might also help you choose well-fitting shoes, which is of course not possible with online-bought shoes. But then again, you could also end up with someone who recommends expensive but badly-fitting shoes to meet their sales target.

And if you choose expensive shoes, you might be tempted to have the child wear them longer than ideal, which is definitely worse than having the child wear cheaper shoes that are more frequently replaced with the right size.

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    Totally. Some of their favorite and most comfortable were the cheapest. Some expensive ones they will never wear. I think price is somewhat arbitrary anymore. Just google search what payless recently did with social media influencers. It sort of goes to show that it's all just straight up made up. Get whats comfortable and what they like. +1
    – Kai Qing
    Commented Nov 30, 2018 at 16:10
  • That is a way I never looked at it before. Thank you for your answer!
    – Pudora
    Commented Nov 30, 2018 at 19:19
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It can really depend, but generally no. As long as the shoe fits well and breaths well (doesn't get wet and moldy just from normal wear) then there is no problem.

The exception is the same as it is for us adults. If there is a specific need or concern, then a more expensive shoe is warranted.

For example, sports and ankle support (as you mentioned). Wet weather, long hikes, lots of running, etc., could all mean it's "worth it" for a more pricey shoe.

But again in the general sense, it's better to buy 4 $25 pair of shoes at 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2 then it is to buy a 5 and have them "grow into it" and keep it beyond it's fit because of the cost.

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