I loved Robeez soft-soled shoes for when Mikko was a baby and pre-walking toddler and as he was first beginning to walk. They fit like slippers and are billed as the next best thing to being barefoot, since they protect babies' feet while allowing them to feel the ground as they get a sense of how to walk.

Plus, they're so stinking cute!

Purchase 2 or more pairs of Robeez footwear and receive free standard shipping.

I appreciate that they have styles for up to 4-year-olds now, too, with a mix of the suede-soled shoes Robeez is known for and newer flexible but rubber-soled shoes that work well for true toddlers and older walkers in muddier and wetter climes (like, um, Seattle in winter!).

Need help deciding on styles and sizes? Find the right shoe for your baby or toddler with Robeez's detailed shoe type descriptions.

I want to mention that there was a controversy over formula samples that were put into bags at a Robeez/Stride Rite event (Stride Rite bought Robeez, which used to be an independent company). I'm not entirely satisfied with Stride Rite's response to the mistake, but I hope they learned from it and are moving forward with a little more wisdom about the WHO Code and what marketing formula does to affect breastfeeding rates. If anyone knows otherwise about recent issues with Stride Rite, please let me know. I'd like to recommend Robeez shoes because I really enjoyed them and look forward to having my next baby wear them. But I don't want to plug any company that works against infant health.