Indoor shoes for nursery and home: why fit matters indoors too

In short: indoor shoes are often forgotten when parents check sizes. In a study of 858 preschool children, 88.8 % of indoor shoes were too short. Yet many children wear them at nursery for longer than their outdoor shoes.

How often are indoor shoes too small?

Outdoor shoes did a little better, but not well: 22.8 % fitted in the Austrian study, 38 % in the BKK Bayern study.

Why are indoor shoes so often too small?

• They are replaced less often. In the study, nursery teachers reported that indoor shoes were often not changed for a whole year.
• Children of this age often wear them for longer each day than outdoor shoes.
• Children hardly notice when a shoe is too small. Their feet are soft and flexible and adapt.

What does this mean for the feet?

In the study, children whose indoor shoes were too short more often had a big toe angled outwards. One size too short raised the risk of an angle of 4 degrees or more by 17 %, two sizes by 37 %. About 61 % of the children wore indoor shoes that were two or more sizes too short.

How to make indoor shoes really fit

• Check indoor shoes just like outdoor shoes, not only when you buy them.
• A shoe should be at least 10 to 12 mm longer inside than the foot.
• Check the nursery shoes regularly too, for example at the start of every month.
• Don't rely on the size on the label, lengths vary from brand to brand.

How to measure foot length is explained in the size chart.

Frequently asked questions

How much bigger should indoor shoes be?

At least 10 to 12 mm longer inside than the foot, just like outdoor shoes (Klein et al. 2009). Other sources recommend 12 to 17 mm (BARMER).

How often should I check nursery indoor shoes?

Regularly, at least every three to four months. At nursery age, feet grow about 1 mm per month (Spektrum der Wissenschaft).

Will my child notice if indoor shoes are too small?

Often not. Children's feet are so soft and flexible that they hardly feel pressure and curl their toes.

Sources:
Klein C, Groll-Knapp E, Kundi M, Kinz W: Increased hallux angle in children and its association with insufficient length of footwear. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2009, 10:159. Link
Spektrum der Wissenschaft: Kinderschuhe oft zu klein (2023). Link
BARMER Gesundheit im Blick: Gesunde Kinderfüße, passende Kinderschuhe finden (2018). Link