At this stage your child is much more confident, walking independently and spending a lot of time on their feet.

You may want shoes for different occasions, but remember to get these correctly fitted too. Their feet are growing quickly, so don't simply buy the same size as the last pair.

Well designed first shoes have all the following features to make them suitable for toddlers:

• Whole and half sizes in up to six width fittings from C to H, to ensure best fit
• Effective fasteners so that the child does not have to curl his toes to keep the shoe on properly.
• Hook and loop fasteners are convenient and also give independence to the child, making her feel grown up because she can do her shoes up on her own
• Softest leather uppers so that they are not rubbing and mould to the contours of the feet. Quality leather is hard wearing and can be dyed right through to keep its good looks for longer
• Breathable linings for maximum comfort, allowing perspiration to escape through the surface of the shoe
• Lightweight, flexible non-slip soles so walking feels natural to the toddler, because it's difficulty enough getting around anyway...  

• A shoe designed to match the shape of a child's foot, with a wide front and narrow heel (not simply a scaled-down adult shoe). A straight inside edge avoids pressure on the big toe
• Built in space around the toes to allow for growth. This happens quickly at this age. You should plan to have the fit of the shoes checked every 6 to 8 weeks
• Trainers might be softer and easy to wear, but even these need to fit and you should limit wear time in order to give feet a chance to breathe.
• You may want to think about sandals for the hot weather, to allow as much fresh air as possible between their little toes.