Looking for children’s dance shoes can be quite a feat. You may not know the exact shoe size of your child as dance shoe sizes are often different from normal shoes sizes. Another challenging aspect in finding children’s dance shoes is the variety of brands that are offered. You may find yourself wondering which brands are better and what exactly are the differences? Is it really necessary to buy a brand that is more expensive? And does that make the shoe any better? You’ll find that just because the shoe is more expensive, doesn’t mean that it is that much better quality.

Here are 3 good tips to help you find children’s dance shoes:

Read online reviews
Reading reviews of products online is your best bet for finding the perfect brand, fit, or style of children’s dance shoes. You have the ability to hear directly from other mom’s who have bought a certain brand and if they would recommend it. Reviews are handy when you have selected a brand because you can find information about that brand online quickly and from people who have had experience with that brand so you know for sure.

Inquire about which brands are known for each discipline to the dance instructor
Go straight to the one who knows best – the dance teacher. Depending on the dance discipline your child is in (ballet, tap, jazz) there usually isn’t one brand that fits all. The dance teacher probably is knowledgeable about all types of dancing and can tell you, for example, which shoe brand would be better for tap and which would be better for ballet. If you use this method of going straught to the professional, you’ll surely find the right children’s dance shoes.

Select the brand based on durability, not price
Most likely, if you buy dance shoes for your child, they’ll get worn in fairly quickly as well as torn up quickly. But that usually varies depending on the brand. Some are sturdier and will last a couple of dance seasons, eventually saving you money. If your child is a ballet dancer, Capezio would probably be the brand to consider as they’re known for durability and comfort for the arch of the foot. If your looking for jazz shoes, Bloch may be a great brand to start looking at. Don’t simply pick a shoe based on the price, make sure you do your research on quality and comfort first. You’ll most likely in the end have to replace your child’s dance shoes because they’ll grow out of them just as quickly as regular shoes.