Running: what kit do you need?

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What Equipment does your kid need to Run

Of all the sports in the world, running is possibly the easiest (and cheapest) when it comes to purchasing equipment. Your child needs shoes. That’s it. And they don’t even need those if they prefer running barefoot.

Most trainers or sneakers will work fine for a child who just wants to run around a playground. However, if your child likes to run a lot or wants to join a running club, it is advisable to invest in a pair of shoes that will keep them comfortable and help them to stay injury-free.

Choosing a Pair of Running Shoes for your child

You do not need to spend a lot of money on running shoes. Rather, make sure that your child has a shoe that fits well, offers support in the right places, and, perhaps most importantly for your child, looks good.

If your child progresses in the sport and joins a track club, you may need to purchase spikes (shoes with spikes on the bottom). At this stage, though, a regular pair of sneakers will do the trick.

If your child runs a lot, you should try and choose the right running shoe for them

how to fit a child’s running shoe

There are three principal considerations when buying running shoes for your child:

🏃‍♀️ Space in the Toe Box: You do not want the shoe to be either too small or too big. Ideally, there will be about 0.5 inches / 1cm from the end of the shoe. This is about the width of your thumb when it is pressed sideways onto the toe of the shoe. Your child should be able to wiggle their toes around inside the toe box and they should not be touching the end of the shoe.

🏃‍♀️ A snug fit around the Heel: Hold your child’s foot and gently pull and rotate at the base – or Outsole – of the shoe. If their foot moves around inside the shoe or the heel slips in and out it is probably too big. We are looking for a snug, comfortable fit.

🏃‍♀️ A bounce test: If they can run up and down in the shop, ask them to do it. If they can’t, ask them to bounce on the spot. Their foot should feel snug but not tight through the midsole, and the toes should not be rubbing anywhere.

When to replace your child’s running shoes

As parents, we all know how quickly our children go through shoes. The bad news is that if your child runs a lot, they are likely to go through more shoes than other children. Even if the shoe still fits your child, it’s important to check a couple of features on the shoe every 3-4 months:

🏃‍♀️ The Treads: If your child runs a lot, the treads (the grips on the outsole) will wear down quickly. Worn treads make for slippery shoes, which makes for ripped trousers or injured knees. If the treads on your child’s running shoes are ‘gone’, it’s worth replacing them.

Sometimes you just have to accept that shoes need to be replaced.

🏃‍♀️ The Insole is Flattened: The Insole (the inside bottom of a shoe) takes a beating. The Insole provides support and cushioning to the foot, and over time, this will get ‘squashed’ down. As such, check the insole around the heel and the arch (middle of the foot) and make sure there is still support there.

🏃‍♀️ Your child experiences pain in their feet: Aside from wanting to stop the pain, a pair of shoes that were fine but are now producing blisters probably need changing. Check the insole and the fit, but be prepared to head down to the shops (again!).

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