Tips for Buying Children's Shoes Online for Summer Camps

Do you feel like there are not enough hours in the day? Ordering trendy shoes online for your little ones who are off to camp is a great way to save time. Shopping online makes it easy find great prices on good quality shoes. Plus, if you are like me, it's not always fun to shop with energetic boys that complain about shopping. In today's post, I will share some tips for ordering shoes online and then tell you about trendy Stride Rite Made2Play Phibian shoes that we ordered for our boys. Stride Rite is one of my favorite brands because I like good quality shoes that provide strong support at this critical time when their little bodies are growing. 

1. Measure twice and order once
You know the saying, "Measure twice and cut once"? This applies to shoes. Make sure that you measure your child's feet correctly before purchasing shoes. Personally, we measure at the end of the day using a printable shoe size chart from Stride Rite that you can print and have your child stand on.

2. For younger children, choose shoes that fasten with Velcro
Camps are a great time for children to become more confident as they gain a large amount of independence. If they cannot tie their shoes yet, this is nothing to worry over. Be sure to purchase shoes that they can fasten on their own so that they are able to take care of themselves when it comes to putting their shoes on. They can figure out shoe laces when they are older. We ordered the trendy Made2Play Phibian shoes from Stride Rite. They are stylish and comfortable for my children!



3. Avoid flip flops, but be prepared for Splash Days
Many camps do not allow flip flops unless it is during a splash time. If they do allow them, teachers and counselors may frown upon them. For instance, we sent our son to school in flip flops one day because they had a special Splash Day. I had good intentions that flip flops seemed like a good choice for a Splash Day. However, the Splash Day only included an hour of splash time and then there were other activities during the rest of the day. Among those other activities, the kids also played on a playground that had wood chips on it. A wood chip got stuck on my son's toe and the teacher had to remove it. I was embarrassed by mistake to send him to school in flip flops!  

A fabulous solution for Splash Days are the Stride Rite Made2Play Phibian shoes. These trendy shoes may be worn with or without socks.  They are versatile that they can wear them everyday, including Splash Days.  You don't even have to think about their schedule -- these shoes are perfect for any day of the week! They are are easy to put on without help, have slip resistant soles, dry quickly, and can even be washed in your washing machine.  I take full advantage of these features with my energetic little boys! 

4. Buy shoes that are easy to clean.
If there is a puddle of mud, my children are the first to locate and explore it.  Rather than get upset, I just buy shoes that are easy to clean. For instance, I mentioned the Stride Rite Phibian shoes above are easy to hose off or wash in our washing machine.  The designers of these shoes must have their own children and understand my struggle of trying to keep my children clean.  Seriously, they rocked my world with their easy-to-clean design!



5. Order good quality shoes that will be heavily stress tested by your child
Little ones put a lot of stress on their shoes! Good quality shoes should offer good support and should be easy to keep clean and presentable.  

• Support: Little ones have amazing energy levels and it takes a lot to keep up with them. Personally, I do not feel that this is an age when you want to skimp on shoes. They do so much running, jumping, and climbing while growing at a rapid pace, so good support is critical. Select shoes that have good support, including arch support. 
• Ease of Cleaning: You may want to make sure that the shoes are water resistant and easy to wipe clean. 
• Shoes that last: Your children will probably stress test their shoes by running, jumping, climbing, crawling, or you-name-it! It's easier in the long run to buy better quality shoes that last longer.

We buy Stride Rite shoes because they give my children good support for their growing bodies and they actually last a long time while still looking good.



We hope that these tips are helpful as you prepare your children for their upcoming summer camps!