As therapists, we believe that shoes can play an important role in your child’s gross motor development. This article is meant to give you a brief idea of what type of shoe may be most appropriate for your child depending on their stage of development. You may have read about this topic in one of our prior blogs. If not, check it out!



If your child has an identified motor impairment or delay, it is important to discuss footwear with the appropriate service provider as they may require more than just the right shoe. Below, we have provided a list of our favorite shoe brands:
- Stride rite: great shoes for children of all ages; knowledgeable staff; most shoes accomodate for orthotics inserts nicely.
- Tsukihoshi: can be found in most bay area children’s shoe stores; very light weight; accomodate for orthotic inserts nicely.
- Ecco: light weight; accomodate for orthotic inserts nicely.
- Merell: great arch support; very durable for outdoor activity.
The brands mentioned above do tend to run a little on the expensive side. However, if you find what you are looking for and the price is out of your range, take a picture of what you want to a less exepnsive store such as target or payless and you’ll be surprised that you can actually find a very comparable shoe.
Good luck in your quest for the perfect shoe!