Barefoot Shoes and Low-Top Shoes for Boys and Girls – Room to Grow for Young Feet

Children's feet are not miniature adult feet. At birth, a child's foot consists largely of soft cartilage that only gradually develops into a stable bone structure during childhood.
What growing feet need most during these years is movement – ideally barefoot. Walking barefoot strengthens the muscles of the foot, trains balance and supports a natural, healthy gait.

Why are barefoot shoes a good choice for children? Because they let the foot work as if it were barefoot while protecting it wherever shoes are genuinely needed: on asphalt, in the playground, at nursery or in the schoolyard.
A good barefoot shoe should not support the foot or force it into a particular shape; it should protect it and allow as much natural movement as possible.
This is exactly the principle behind our SOLE RUNNER® barefoot shoes for boys and girls, which we have been developing for many years.

What to look for when buying barefoot shoes for children

Fit is the most important criterion. Children's toes need about a thumb's width of space, roughly 10 to 12 millimetres in front of the longest toe. Also look for these qualities:

• Toe freedom: a wide, foot-shaped toe box that gives every toe room and allows the toes to spread naturally as the foot rolls off the ground

• Flexible sole: a sole that bends easily in every direction, so the foot can roll naturally and sense the ground beneath it

• Low weight: light shoes tire small feet less quickly and keep walking light and playful

• No heel, no rigid support: the foot should be allowed to do its own work, because that is what makes it strong

Low-top shoes – the everyday barefoot classic for children

Barefoot low-top shoes are the most versatile shoes for growing feet: more breathable than boots, lighter than conventional low-top shoes, and with hook-and-loop fasteners
even nursery children can put them on by themselves.
Whether at the playground, at school or on a family walk, flexible low-top shoes carry boys and girls comfortably through the whole day.
When it comes to children's feet, gender makes no difference: what matters is not "boys" or "girls" fashion, but the length, width and shape of each individual foot.

Why shoe width matters so much

Many conventional children's shoes are cut narrow in the toe area and restrict toe freedom. Children's feet, however, are individual, many are remarkably wide.
That is why SOLE RUNNER® offers children's shoes with a wide toe box.
This way you can find the fit that truly gives your son or daughter room to grow without the foot slipping inside the shoe.

Sustainably and fairly produced

Our SOLE RUNNER® barefoot shoes are sustainably and fairly produced and support a healthy way of walking. We want you to be able to put shoes on your children that are made with care – for their foot health and for an environment they deserve to move in freely.

Set out together with your children: whether barefoot in the garden or in flexible SOLE RUNNER® low-top shoes on the way to school, every natural movement is a gift for growing feet.