half size up. Full is to big and at this age their feet aren't growing that fast. I also have boys though so they only ever have 1-2 pairs of shoes at a time (sneakers and crocs). They are also really rough on shoes so blow through them quickly/just in time to size up.

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, I thought PPs were talking about buying shoes on Zappos or other sites for use AFTER the current pair is worn out. Usually the right fit at that time is a half size up but sometimes I have to go back and get the current size again.

I can't imagine people actually go to the shoe store, get their kid measured and then ask for the next size up.

I'm a PP. I don't do this. I buy the correct size (say a 13) and then the next time there is a good sale I buy a 1. When my child complains that the 13 is too tight (she is probably a 13.5 at that point) I pull out the 1's and they fit. I would never make her wear shoes too big. But this method has worked well for us. My girls are not hard on shoes and we buy good shoes, so they always size out long before they wear out.

Anonymous wrote:When you are talking about little kids, the difference between even whole sizes is a fraction of an inch. So not "flopping around."

I posted earlier--it's 1/6 inch in length per half size across the board, for children and adults. so 1/3 inch per whole size. That may not seem like much, but yes, it can cause "flopping around." When I try on shoes a whole size bigger than my normal size, it's very floppy, and my foot is much bigger by comparison. Imagine how much more affected a smaller foot would be.

I buy 1/2 size up because with my children, the shoes go through significant wear and tear so they don't usually last until the next size up.

Full size

I buy the correct size. My 3 year old trips in shoes that are to big. I also buy his clothes correct size as well. I hate seeing kids constantly pulling up their pants or putting their shoe back on for the 20th time because their parents wanted to get more "use" out of them.

1/2 size in sneakers, full size in ballet flats

When you are talking about little kids, the difference between even whole sizes is a fraction of an inch. So not "flopping around."

I only buy whole sizes and I buy ahead when there are good sales. By the timer he child is complaining of a tight shoe, the next size up fits and I just pull it out of the closet. (I didn't do this as toddlers, only once they got older.)

For the last few years just a half size, I've tried so many brands and the shoes never last long enough for DS to grow a full size into them anyway.

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, I thought PPs were talking about buying shoes on Zappos or other sites for use AFTER the current pair is worn out. Usually the right fit at that time is a half size up but sometimes I have to go back and get the current size again.

I can't imagine people actually go to the shoe store, get their kid measured and then ask for the next size up.

PP shoe store worker here---oh yes, they do Then the kid would flop around and they would ask me to bring out the size I originally suggested.

Although, when I took my own kid for her first pair, I could tell that the salesperson was either new or didn't have enough experience with toddlers, and had to take over the transaction. I still remember, she brought out 5 medium, which I was surprised by, because I thought DD had larger, wider feet for her age (but I didn't see the measurement). Well, I couldn't even get them on her feet, so I had to keep requesting bigger. She ended up in 6.5XW! I bought my own stick for cheap on Amazon and do Zappos, but sometimes my kids like the fun of going to a shoe store, picking out in person, and wearing them home (confession: I think it's fun too!)

one half size = 1/6 inch. Picture relative to your child's foot length, and make the decision that way. I generally do 1/2 size, but my kids are in elementary school and get newer shoes before they're outgrown, because the shoes are beat by then.

I used to work at a kids shoe store, so the habits are still with me. We always measured the feet and went 1/2 size up from what they were on the stick. Sometimes you could do a whole size, depending on the brand/style, but a lot of times, especially for younger kids, it was just too floppy.

Hmm, I thought PPs were talking about buying shoes on Zappos or other sites for use AFTER the current pair is worn out. Usually the right fit at that time is a half size up but sometimes I have to go back and get the current size again.

I can't imagine people actually go to the shoe store, get their kid measured and then ask for the next size up.

Anonymous wrote:I take them to be measured and buy the appropriate size.

+1

Have you ever worn shoes that are too big? It sucks. Why do that to developing feet? It's almost as bad as shoes that are too small.