Running shoes for children – an overview with my personal recommendations
A pair of running shoes makes a huge difference, and that also applies to running shoes for children. Too many children run around in indoor shoes or All Stars casual shoes – that’s not optimal.
That’s why I’ve tried to write the ultimate guide to buying running shoes for kids. I hope to help you find the running shoes that will allow your child to run safely without having to worry about injuries.
In addition, you get my 5 best tips for fun running training together with your children.
Why should your child have specific running shoes?
Although children can typically run in anything and not complain, whether they have to run barefoot,in the aforementioned All Stars shoes or in their indoor shoes. The children typically don’t know any better and have never tried running in a pair of decent running shoes. You, on the other hand, have that, and can therefore help your child on their way to safe and fun runs.
How much does your child run?
If your child only runs occasionally for exercise here and there, there is no reason to go out and buy new running shoes. Only if your child gets stuck is it necessary to buy a pair of running shoes that can help your child run more safely.
Choose lightweight running shoes
There is no need to choose heavy and maximalist running shoes for your children. Children are natural runners and will do best with a pair of lightweight running shoes, that doesn’t feel like a burden on their leg.
Flexible running shoes
You may also want to choose a pair of flexible running shoes so that your child’s foot has the freedom to move and use the many muscles in the foot. It doesn’t have to be decidedly minimalist running shoes orthe very popular Nike Free,but just some kind of shoe that gives the children the freedom to run, as they do now.
An overview of how to choose running shoes
I have developedthis crisp guide on how to choose running shoes. Check it out and feel free to share it with your network.
5 tips for running with children
You love running and want to share this passion with your children, but how do you do it in the best way? Running may not be the most fun for your children, but if you approach it right and pay attention to your child’s wishes, you can easily get your child/children to share your joy of running. As a bonus, it gives you a lot of quality time with your children. Here I have collected 5 good tips for running with children.
- Make it a game
- Build up gradually
- Vary your training
- Prioritize slow starts and ends
- Don’t be afraid of intervals
1) Make it a game
The most important thing to get kids running is to make it fun. That’s why I definitely recommend that you try to make the run a game.. Det skal være sjovt at løbe. For inspiration, it might be an idea to run a little outside the marked paths. Try running in the forest and don’t be afraid to use the terrain to make it fun. Fallen trees can be used as obstacles and to climb around. Run to the top of a hill and enjoy the view. If your child is competitive, you can have small internal competitions during the run.
2) Build up gradually
If you have smaller children, you should be aware of gradually increasing the distance. Both so that the children’s bodies can get used to and adapt to the kilometers, but equally so that it doesn’t become boring and too monotonous. Also, always be ready to turn around quickly if the child doesn’t think it’s okay. Running with children should always be on their terms.
3) Vary your training
In continuation of the first point, it is very important to keep a good variety in running training with children. If you yourself find it a bit boring to run the same run several times a week, you can be sure that your child finds it the most boring thing in the world. Try to run new routes as much as possible, use the terrain and play with your child along the way. And for God’s sake, don’t let The heart rate monitor controls your runs with the kids.
4) Prioritize slow starts and ends
It can be a really good idea to start by walking a little at the beginning, so that the child slowly gets ready to run. Not because you need to fear that the child will strain. It is more so that the child can mentally start looking forward to the run. The same with the end, where you can successfully prioritize walking a little and/or end with a little stretch, to process and talk to the child about the run. (What was fun, what didn’t work, etc.)
5) Don’t be afraid of intervals
Children will typically run as fast as they can for short distances and then have to slow down to walk. And then the same thing again. You don’t have to worry about the inability to manage their energy. That’s something that comes later. So you might as well take advantage of it and use lampposts or other elements to create little sprints that keep the run interesting and entertaining for the child.
Can you buy children’s running shoes online?
Yes. The biggest problem many parents experience when buying children’s clothes and shoes online is the size issue (link to our smart size guide).It can be difficult to choose the right size at first glance. This is true with children’s running shoes, as it is with running shoes for women and master, that you should always buy ½-1 size larger in running shoes. If your child uses size 36 in normal shoes, it is recommended to buy size 37 in running shoes.
Return policy for online shopping
If you buy children’s running shoes online in one of the Danish running stores, you will always have a minimum of 14 days full right of return. If you buy inenglish running stores or German running stores You can also usually expect extremely good return options – often with the store paying for the return handling itself. So you don’t have to worry about buying running shoes for children online.
If you have any good advice or experiences for running with children, please feel free to share your experiences with us. That way everyone can benefit from your good experiences.