I don’t have children, but from what I hear they’re quite expensive. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on new shoes over the course of a couple years (that’s how much a family spends on shoes, right?) perhaps you could consider these INCHworm shoes, which adjust in size to match your child’s freakishly fast-growing feet.
Most styles are just $40 and the shoes can be adjusted in half-size increments, so you basically buy, say, a size 1-2 which goes from 1 to 1.5 to 2 by just pressing a button on the side of the shoe and then pulling lengthwise. According to the INCHworm website:
Built right into INCHworm shoes is the iFit technology. The iFit technology allows you to GROW the size of the shoe with a simple push of the button. So eliminate unnecessary trips to the shoe store and provide your children with better fitting shoes that last up to three sizes longer. Inchworm shoes grow in half size increments. Just push the button on the side, and pull the toe of the shoe to adjust into the next size.
Seems pretty cool, provided the shoes themselves are durable. They must be, because they’re sold out of a bunch of them online.
Now that is cool!
these appeared on Dragon’s Den in the UK a while ago, and they were absolutely slated.
whilst i think the dragons may have been a bit harsh, i’m inclined to agree that they really won’t take much wear and tear and kids will fiddle with anything they can get their hands on. these shoes won’t last as long as 1 pair, let alone 3.
that’s a great idea but we have to take in consideration the material its made from, because some kids don’t outgrow their shoes they just broke them
One problem I can see is *how* a child’s food grows. It doesn’t just get longer. It also gets wider. Also, I’d be worried about the arch on that shoe. I think that I would want a doctor to look at it before I would choose that shoe for my kids. Since that is way too much trouble in most cases, I would go with what I know. I’m thinking most others would too.
Interesting idea, but my kids destroy their shoes well before they grow out of them.
Umm…Nunya? Your doctor examines your shoes?? Overprotective much? I have three sons, and these would have been awesome during those infernal growth spurts. I saw them increase two full sizes in about 4 months. Now if someone would just invent normal looking jeans with hems that could grow…
Denise, some kids do have feet problems. I had a friend whose daughter had oddly shaped feet so she had to wear special shoes. I think they saved money before she learned to walk alone by just buying wide shoes in a larger size. Although, I have to admit that Nunya doesn’t mention feet problems so …
My daughter destroys shoes. She absolutely loves being outside – climbing trees, playing in the dirt, running, sports, etc. I think these shoes would have been good for her when she was younger but at 4 she outgrows shoes every 3-4 months anyway and by that time, other than church shoes, her shoes are on their last threads lol!
As for pants, with boys I can’t help you but for girls as long as the waistband still fits you can get fabric and make a band around the bottom of the pants to lengthen them. I used to do that because as a kid I was very skinny so I would get pants to fit my waist and then get fabric that matched a lot of my clothes. The downside is that unless you can get denim to match the jeans you kind of have to get a color that will match a variety of shirts.
kids should go barefoot
Interesting idea, but my girls are way too fashion conscious.
it’s a shame that they’re fairly ugly.
a good concept though, lots of tweaking would definetely be needed.
As a child my cousins foot got mangled in an accident. Her right foot was about a size smaller than her left (and still is) and my Aunt would have to buy 2 pairs of the same shoe so her shoes would fit. These shoes would have did wonders for her!
This is one of those…why didn’t I think of that. They use the same concept for kids roller blades and skates. Nice job.