What should a baby’s first shoes be like?

A child’s first steps are unforgettable and uplifting moments for every parent. This slightly wobbly yet brave sequence of movements will be refined by the little one over time. It’s essential what kind of shoes they wear as they begin to explore the world - shoes that allow their sense of balance and posture to develop properly. The right shoes support the development of healthy arches, which later contributes to good posture. But poorly chosen footwear can hinder this process - and may even deform the feet. A baby’s “brand-new” feet are cushioned with soft fat pads, which is why their soles appear almost flat. The formation of arches relies heavily on the regular movement and engagement of the ligaments and muscles in the soles. The most intense period for strengthening the muscles around the feet and ankles is during the toddler phase - when children are learning to walk. That’s why it’s so important for them to walk barefoot as much as possible, or in Soft Sole Shoes that offer the same benefits as being barefoot.

A lightweight, flexible, and breathable soft-soled shoe is an ideal choice for bigger kids:

  • as an indoor shoe at home, in daycare or kindergarten, where it’s important that footwear allows children to squat, sit, kneel, or climb freely
  • and as an outdoor shoe for the garden, playground, pebbly shore, or hikes, where their feet can strengthen and adapt on natural and varied terrain.


Liliputi Love® Shoes are available up to age 6, in a variety of styles and sizes.

In addition to soft-soled shoes, it’s recommended that older children also have rubber-soled shoes for outdoor use—on flat surfaces, asphalt, or in wet and muddy weather. While these shoes adapt less to uneven ground, they are water- and abrasion-resistant. Even for bigger kids, it's worth choosing flexible rubber-soled shoes for outdoor wear, which can help reduce the impact on joints.

So what makes a good and healthy children's shoe?

  • It supports the development of muscles around the foot and ankle,
  • Its soft/flexible sole promotes the development of balance,
  • It allows the child’s foot to adapt to uneven surfaces,
  • It offers age- and use-appropriate shock absorption (soft-soled shoes are often made without foam insoles),
  • The toe box is wide enough for toes to spread naturally,
  • Made from breathable materials,
  • And of course, it’s neither too small nor too big for the child.


There's a well-known saying: “a dirty child is a happy child!” This holds a bit of truth for shoes too. Choosing soft-soled footwear means you’re prioritizing your child’s healthy foot development over keeping their shoes looking pristine. Soft, baby-friendly untreated leather doesn’t have the same abrasion resistance as rigid, reinforced, or synthetic shoes—but your child’s feet will feel much better in them. And even so, most Liliputi Love® shoes have more than one little owner—they’re often passed down to one or even two younger siblings.

Early age (0–18 months)

At this stage, children’s feet are naturally flat, and “bow-legged” (O-shaped legs) is common. Their soles are surrounded by soft fat pads, their instep is high, and the foot arches have not yet developed. This is completely normal and does not require intervention. Changes begin when children start to stand and walk, as this starts the process of strengthening their muscles and balancing skills.

Toddler age (18 months – 4 years)

During this period, children’s legs often appear “knock-kneed” (X-shaped legs), which is a normal part of development. This tends to be more pronounced in girls. Inward turning of the feet is also common. The foot arches gradually develop, and the muscles strengthen as the child becomes more active.

Preschool age (4 – 8 years)

The foot arches continue to develop, and the child’s foot posture increasingly resembles that of adults. Usually, the earlier “knock-knee” or “bow-legged” appearance corrects itself during this period. It’s important that children continue to move a lot and ideally go barefoot or wear flexible-soled shoes to support proper muscle development.

School age (7 years and older)

By this stage, children’s foot arches are generally well-formed, their movement is more coordinated, and muscles become stronger. The “child’s foot” gradually takes on the characteristics of an adult foot. It remains important to stay active, walk barefoot when possible, and wear flexible-soled footwear, since bone development is not fully complete until around age 10.

When to consult a specialist?

At any stage, if a child’s foot posture differs significantly from normal and is accompanied by pain, movement limitations, or other symptoms, it’s advisable to seek professional evaluation. Early recognition and intervention can help prevent later problems.

Warning signs include:

  • Foot deformities such as flat feet or excessive inward ankle rolling persist into school age
  • Frequent pain in feet, knees, hips, or back
  • Quick fatigue or difficulty moving
  • Significant ankle rolling (pronation)
  • No visible arch even when sitting or standing on tiptoes

Soft Sole or Soft Paws?

Soft Sole Shoes

Our classic Soft Soled Shoes are made from baby-friendly nappa leather. This is typically the reverse side of the same leather we use for the upper part of the shoe.

Soft Paws Shoes

The soles of our Paws models are made from a special two-layer material. The slip-resistant honeycomb-textured outer layer sits on top of a breathable vegan leather base.
Which one should you choose?

That mostly depends on where and how you plan to use your Liliputi shoes.

  • Both types are perfect for indoor wear and outdoor use in dry weather.
  • They’re equally soft and designed to support natural foot movement, offering the benefits of barefoot walking, encouraging strong ligaments, healthy soles, and full freedom of movement.

The differences lie in durability, slip resistance, shoe care, and price.

  • The leather soles should be protected from moisture and occasionally refreshed with fine sandpaper to maintain their grip.
  • Leather is less resistant to wear than the Paws sole. That’s why it’s a good idea to consider the surfaces your child will mostly walk on.
  • If you’ll mainly use them indoors and/or outdoors in dry weather - especially on natural ground - either version will work beautifully.

But if you'll often be out and about on paved or damp surfaces, or have slippery floors at home or daycare, the Paws version with its non-slip sole is your best bet.

What Makes Liliputi Love® Shoes Special
  • Our shoes are easy to put on, and the flexible ankle bands help keep them snugly in place. But you might be surprised to see that your child won’t even try to take them off - in fact, they’ll probably ask you to put them on!
  • The high-top Urban models don’t need tying either, as the elastic laces are secured with firm knots on both sides. If the original tightness doesn’t feel quite right, you only need to adjust it once - after that, the shoes are easy to slip on and stay comfortably in place.
  • The upper part of our shoes is made from soft, high-quality, baby-friendly nappa leather. This is the same leather we also use for the outer layer, just the reverse side.
  • The leather contains no harmful substances, so there’s no need to worry if your little one puts their favourite shoes in their mouth. Natural leather allows the feet to breathe, keeping them dry and comfortable.
  • For our soft sole leather models, the sole is made of three layers. In the middle, a 3mm flexible foam layer provides thermal insulation and reduces the impact on joints when running on hard surfaces. The inner lining is made of a special breathable leather-like material or, in some cases, genuine cowhide.
  • We offer two types of outer soles for our shoes.

Materials

Our shoes are made from premium-quality materials, all sourced from within the European Union. Each pair is handcrafted in Hungary. Liliputi Love® shoes are made using only baby-safe materials.

  • Leather: All leather is dyed with natural, heavy-metal-free dyes (so in rare cases, the shoes may slightly fade or transfer colour when exposed to moisture or sweat).
  • Vegan leather (lining and sole): This is an eco-friendly leather-like material with many advantages over traditional leather. It’s 100% breathable, allowing for constant airflow inside the shoe. It’s odourless, antimicrobial, and resistant to bacteria and fungi. Thanks to its temperature-regulating properties, it keeps little feet comfortably warm. It’s OEKO-TEX certified, eco-friendly, and free from chromium(VI). It’s also fully recyclable.
  • Wool: We use natural wool as the lining in our winter boots.

Environmental awareness

We fully comply with - and often exceed - EU regulations regarding harmful substances and environmental protection.
We use boxes made from recycled paper and ship our products in reused packaging materials. Throughout our production and sourcing processes, we place special emphasis on sustainability. Whenever possible, we offer repairs instead of replacements - because we believe in taking responsibility for the world our children will grow up in.

Water resistance


Liliputi Love® shoes are not waterproof. On rainy or wet days, switch to rubber-soled shoes.
If your Liliputi Love® shoes get wet, simply let them air dry at room temperature. Do not place them on a radiator or use a hairdryer.

Care instructions

The leather uppers can be cleaned with a damp cloth and dried at room temperature. You can treat them occasionally with a colourless leather balm. For leather soles, regularly check the texture - if needed, gently roughen the surface with fine sandpaper to restore grip. The Paws soles can be cleaned with a damp cloth or a soft-bristled shoe brush.

Size Chart - Soft footwears

SIZE APPROXIMATE AGE EU-SIZE INNER SOLE LENGHT
S 6-12 mos 17-18  11,3 cm
M 12-18 mos 19-20 12,6 cm
L 18-24 mos 21-22 14,0 cm
XL 2-3 years 22-23 15,0 cm
XXL 3-4 years 24-25 16,0 cm
XXXL 4-5 years 26-27 17,3 cm
XXXXL 5-6 years 28-29 18,3 cm
Orthopedic Expert Review of Liliputi Love® Soft-Soled Shoes

Dr. László Cs. Frank – Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon, Heim Pál National Pediatric Institute

'A child’s very first steps are a milestone - not only for us as parents, but also for the child. From that moment on, their life enters a completely new phase. Walking allows for much faster and more efficient movement than previous motor skills, but it’s also a major challenge for the still-developing nervous system. At this stage, babies take small steps with a wide stance, spending more time with their feet on the ground than in the air. Their walking pattern is still very different from that of adults. The arches of the feet haven’t yet formed - their soles are still flat. After learning to stand, their nervous system develops rapidly. During the first 3–6 months of learning to walk, practicing this skill is just as important as neurological development. They may fall often, but they can already stand up without help — this is how coordination, balance, strength, and endurance improve. The best support for this development is barefoot walking. Babies need to feel the ground beneath them - including its unevenness. That’s when the foot muscles strengthen most, helping form healthy arches and posture in the long term. That’s why it’s so important what kind of shoes we put on their feet. The ideal shoes should have a soft, thin, flexible sole that doesn’t slip — while still protecting little feet from the outside world. Many children in this stage may walk with their feet turned inward (or outward), or may tiptoe often — this is a natural part of development and not considered a disorder at this age. Good shoes allow the toes, soles, and ankles to move freely - giving babies the support they need without restricting their natural development.'

Dr. Zsuzsa Lengyel – Chief Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon

'During the learning-to-walk stage, it is very important that children only wear shoes that come as close as possible to being barefoot. Liliputi Love® soft sole shoes, as an alternative to barefoot walking, provide an opportunity for proper muscle function and the development of healthy foot arches later on.

The features of Liliputi Love® shoes:

  • a soft sole that bends and flexes in all directions,
  • a rounded front section with adequate width,
  • very soft material,
  • no stiffeners in any direction,
  • easy to put on with a flexible ankle band,
  • does not squeeze the foot and adapts to the thickness of the child’s ankle.'

Customer Reviews

'This is the first pair of shoes my child doesn’t want to take off! They’re clearly comfortable - they walk confidently and happily in them, unlike with any of their other shoes.'
'Ever since we got our Liliputi, my little boy refuses to take them off! He reluctantly lets us remove them at bedtime - but in the morning, he brings them to us with the biggest smile, asking to put them on again.'
'My daughter and I absolutely love them! Her feet don’t slip on the floor, and they keep her warm even in this cold weather.'
'I bought them for preschool because they actually stay on. My child loves wearing them and quickly learned how to put them on by themselves. Highly recommend!'

Please note: Soft leather helps to closely follow the natural movement of the foot and preserves the benefits of barefoot walking. However, due to the nature of the material, it obviously cannot withstand mechanical stresses as well as some synthetic or rubber-based products.