Baby's First Shoes: Your Questions Answered

When you're a first time parent, having a newly walking baby can be quite overwhelming! Although baby walking on their own represents a huge milestone, parents are often consumed with thoughts like when should I put shoes on my baby, what first shoes are best for baby and how long should my baby go without shoes for? We've compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions about baby's first shoes, and have answered them just for you.

 1. What is a pre walker shoe?

Pre walking shoes are typically a baby's first pair of shoes. They are generally soft-soled, flexible and lightweight, as recommended by podiatrists. 

2. What shoes are best for first walkers? 

Pre walking shoes are the best shoes for first walkers. They are generally completely flat, without a groove or arch support, while your baby learns to walk. Keeping your baby's feet completely flat helps stimulate neurones in the brain which aids cognitive and motor skill development.

3. Should babies wear shoes when learning to walk?

Babies should stay barefoot as much as possible when learning to walk. This allows their tactile pathways feel the surface of the ground, which results in the development of strength, spacial orientation, balance, and coordination.

4. When should baby start wearing shoes?

While babies should remain barefoot as much as possible when learning to walk, it is still recommended to protect their feet from harsher environments when walking outside. Pre walking shoes such as Attipas are recommended by podiatrists to ensure babies can still 'feel' the ground while learning to walk.

5. When should I buy my cruising shoes?

The cruising phase is typically the phase before a baby learns to walk without aid, typically from 6 to 12 months of age.  Cruising shoes are essentially pre walking shoes as they allow baby to development naturally and without impairment, and are recommended from 6 months of age and onwards.

6. When should babies wear hard sole shoes? 

Babies and toddlers should not wear hard sole shoes until they are typically 3 to 4 years in age. This is because shoes with a heavy or thick sole block receptors on babies feet which stimulate brain development in a variety of ways.

7. When should I buy first walking shoes? 

First walking shoes are typically the same as pre walking shoes and are recommended from 6 months of age and onwards, depending on your baby's indoor and outdoor activities, surfaces and surrounding climate.

8. What are the sizes for toddler shoes?

Babies and toddler's shoe sizes can vary considerably. As such, answering questions such as what age is size 8 in toddler shoes is quite difficult. We provide an easy, printable size guide here so that parents can measure their children's feet at home. 

9. How do you buy baby's first walking shoes?

Buying baby's first walking shoes online has never been easier. We recommend printing our size guide from home, measuring your baby's feet then visiting our website to ensure you order the correct pair. Gone are the days where you need to drag a screaming toddler to the shops for a fitting! 

10. Do babies really need walking shoes? 

Barefoot walking is best for babies and encouraged as much as possible in the early days to stimulate brain development. However podiatrists still recommend that babies wear suitable pre walking shoes such as Attipas to protect little feet from harsher environments and weather. 

11. Is walking barefoot healthy?

Absolutely! The concept behind barefoot walking is that when a baby is allowed to be barefoot, their tactile pathways feel the surface of the ground, and they development neuromuscular strength, spacial orientation, balance, and coordination. In a nutshell, barefoot is always best when babies learn to walk.

12. What are the best shoes for learning to walk?

When barefoot walking is not a possibility, we recommend suitable pre walking shoes such as Attipas to ensure that babies development is not impacted in a negative way. Heavy shoes, hard sole shoes or those with an arch or instep are not recommended for babies.

13. What type of shoes are there for babies learning to walk?

There are many types of shoes on the market for babies, however not all shoes are suitable for learning to walk, or deemed safe by podiatrists. Many shoes for babies are designed with aesthetics in mind and do not qualify as suitable first walking shoes. Specific pre walking shoes such as Attipas, that are endorsed by podiatrists, are the best shoes for babies learning to walk.

14. What size is 6-9 months in shoes?

Foot size differs vastly from baby to baby, so it's always best to measure baby's feet using out free, printable size guide here.

Are you struggling to get shoes on your baby?

The whole idea behind Attipas baby shoes is that less is more. Goodbye to heavy shoes and socks, and hello to lightweight, practical, flexible shoe-socks that let babies 'feel' the ground.

Attipas slip on like a sock, saving you time as you rush your toddler out the front door. That’s why our founder, Caroline Africh, originally brought Attipas to Australia and our entire range can easily replace all the other shoes and socks in your baby's cupboard. 

As Seen at the Oscars!

Attipas baby shoes made it to the Oscars! Founder Caroline Africh and her team were flown to Hollywood where they handed out Attipas baby shoes to celebrities including Zoe Saldana, who is a huge fan.

Caroline also made an appearance on the Today Show where she talks to David Campbell and Sonia Kruger about getting close and personal with Ryan Gosling!

While other brands may sell 'first shoes' for babies, Attipas are the only baby shoes that successfully mimic barefoot walking.  And the evidence is clear.

Attipas baby shoes come in six sizes and can be worn from 6 months to 4 years. They start from $39.95 and are sold on the Attipas Australia website.

Attipas baby shoes come in over 50 colours in an identical design that slips on like a sock but supports like a shoe. Bestsellers include Attipas Sneaker: cute, sneaker-style shoes that look like traditional Converse; Attipas Rainbow: unisex, bright and bold stripes that match any outfit; Attipas Attibebe: soft pastel tones, a favourite for girls; and Attipas Marine: cute nautical themed pre-walkers, a favourite for boys.

Our founder, Caroline Africh, discovered Attipas baby shoes on a holiday in Japan and knew she needed to bring them to Australia. As a mum of a then 1 year old, Caroline had unique insight into exactly what a toddler should be wearing on their feet while learning to walk. An avid fan of the barefoot movement, Caroline says: “As a new mother, I was very conscious about selecting the right first shoes for my baby.”

“The biggest mistake parents make when choosing first baby shoes is that they think they need to be structured,” Caroline says. “The reality is that science really speaks for itself. Being barefoot helps baby develop brain function and the barefoot movement has been massive for decades. When choosing suitable pre-walking shoes for babies, parents need to select something that mimics the concept of walking barefoot.” 

Long before Caroline founded Attipas Australia, she had two very successful careers—first as an auditor, and then secondly as a project manager.

Caroline began her career as an IT auditor in the early 2000's, working for PwC Sydney as a graduate. Not feeling as though she 'fit in', it was then she realised her aspirations to become an entrepreneur — which she would later fulfil by bringing Attipas shoes to Australia.

At age 25, Caroline packed her bags and moved to London, and just like that, she worked her way up the chain to become a Project Manager in an investment bank. Over the next five years, she managed several large-scale IT implementations however still felt like something was 'missing' from her work life.

In her early 30s, Caroline had a baby and moved back to Sydney. After nearly a decade working in corporate, Caroline wanted to start her own business and become an entrepreneur. As a new mum conscious about baby foot health, Caroline discovered Attipas shoes in Japan and knew it was her inner calling to bring Attipas to Australia. We are proud to say: she succeeded. As seen on the Today Show, at the Oscars and on Shark Tank, over 500k pairs have been sold since Attipas arrived in 2012.

Caroline's 'less-is-more' approach to toddler foot health has been adopted by hundreds of thousands of Australian parents, who use Attipas on their babies every single day.

What our customers are saying about us...

“We bought these for our then 11 month old and they are the perfect baby shoe! They protect little toes, are easy to walk in even for an early walker, and the sock-style means she can't pull them off. She's one now and loves them so much that she sometimes brings them to you to put them on for her, even inside! Very glad we bought the next size up as well.” — Victoria

All Attipas Products are tailor-made for environmentally conscious families.

We care about making our products safe and healthy for you—and our planet. That’s why our products are non-toxic and contain no formaldehyde or BPA.  They are also vegan-friendly and not tested on animals. We also keep packaging to a minimum and use cardboard over plastics where possible.

Anyone can have allergies. If your baby or toddler has any discomfort or a rash develops, discontinue use and consult your doctor.