How to Measure and Fit Ballet Shoes for Kids

You’ve been considering it for a while, but you’ve finally decided. At your child’s request, you’ve enrolled them in dance classes. Now it’s time to hit the store to buy their clothes and a pair of children’s ballet shoes. This is your first time buying these kinds of shoes so you’re not sure what you should be looking for. How are they supposed to fit on their foot and why can’t you let your child glide around the dance floor in a pair of socks? The answer is friction. Socks will have them slipping all over the place. They need a pair of shoes, and we can help you pick some out. Keep reading to learn how to measure your child’s foot.  

How to Measure My Child's Foot

Before you take your child to buy any kind of shoe, you need to measure their foot. There are a couple of ways you can do this. 

The first way is to simply measure their foot. Grab a tape measure and get the child to sit still as you get a reading of the length and width of their little foot. 

As a warning, you may not be able to get an accurate measurement. Children are kind of squirmy. This is especially true if they are ticklish. 

If you get a bad measurement, then whatever ballet shoes you buy them may not fit right which could result in an injury. To avoid this, it may be a better idea for you to trace their foot. 

Get a piece of paper and place it on a flat, sturdy surface. Have the child put their foot on the paper so you can trace around it. 

If you want to get them a little excited about having their foot measured, get out the paints and cover their foot in their favorite color. 

Roll out a piece of paper and have the child walk across it. When the paint is dry, you can use a ruler to measure the print and take it to the store. 

How Should the Shoe Fit on Their Foot?

If you were buying ballet shoes for yourself, you would need for them to fit as close to your foot as possible. When it comes to children's ballet shoes, they don't have to be quite as snug. 

You see, children's feet are always growing. If you got them the tight fit ones, they would just grow out of them in a few months. If that's in your budget, it's fine. 

For a lot of parents that can be a financial strain. Kids' ballet shoes aren't exactly cheap. So, it's a lot smarter to go up by a single size or half a size.

This way, they're not so loose that they're falling off and not so tight that your child has a rough time keeping their form up in them. 

How to Tell if Their Shoe is the Right Fit 

So, how do you know if you've found their idea ballet shoe sizing? There are a couple of ways to tell. They'll have enough room where they can wiggle their toes.

They're not scrunched up at the bottom of the shoe. Their feet will be able to sit flat on the floor the same as they would if they weren't wearing shoes at all. If their toes are pressed close together than the width is too small.

Try to put a finger between the side of your child's foot and the shoe. If you do this easily then the width is too large. If there are marks on the child's foot when they take off their shoes, it's much too tight. 

The shoe shouldn't be loose on their Achilles tendon but if it's so tight that it's leaving marks then it could be cutting into the tendon which can do some damage.

Is There a Difference Between Boys and Girl's Shoes? 

As a boy grows his feet become much wider and longer than a girl's. You won't have to worry about these differences for quite a while though. 

While they're still small children, it won't matter that much. Boy's ballet shoes usually come in black or white and most of the time they don't have ribbons or elastics. 

Additional Things to Note 

There are a ton of ballet shoes out there for you to try on your child. The way they will fit on them varies from manufacture to manufacture. They all have their own unique designs. 

Just because you know your child's size in one brand doesn't mean it will be the same in another. This being said before you buy from anywhere, make sure you research the brand. Don't be afraid to ask questions when you're in the dancewear store. 

If you're at a complete loss, ask their teacher. They'll have enough experience to be able to help you out.

Buying the Right Children's Ballet Shoes for Your Little Dancer 

Before your child begins their first day of dance class, they'll need the perfect pair of children's ballet shoes. If you don't find the right size, not only will it hurt their feet, but it could cause injuries and lasting damage. 

Measure your child's foot before you take them to the store and don't forget to ask questions if need be. 

We have a wide array of girl's ballet shoes. Browse through our store to pick up all the dance supplies your little one needs.