Ballet Shoes - Extending the Life

My shoes are too small! is the cry from the little ballerina in the hall. Her mom just bought new ballet shoes yesterday it seems. How can she extend the life of these shoes? And how can she avoid having to buy several more pairs this year to keep up with her little dancer s growing feet?

In my years of dancing and fitting little feet in ballet shoes, I have learned a few tricks to help parents get the most out of their children s shoes.

Have your child wear thick socks when trying on new ballet shoes. They can even wear socks with their shoes (studio dress-code permitting) until the shoes get snug and then wear them without socks for the remainder of the life of the shoe.

Buy a shoe with a good drawstring. If it pulls in nicely, it can be let out at the child s foot grows. If the drawstring does not pull in the shoe tightly, it is often a sign of a shoe of lesser quality.

If your child has leather ballet shoes, they can be stretched manually. Take a wooden spoon and place it inside the toe of the shoe. Gently pull back on the shoe while pushing on the spoon. This little trick might help your child get a few more weeks or months out of their shoes.

Do not let the children wear their shoes outside. Wearing them only at ballet will help with the life of the shoe.

Every hobby has its expenses, but using these simple tips will help you keep your shoe costs down as your child dances their way through life.