Baby's First Walking ShoesBy Katie QuirkShe’s the fastest crawler in the neighborhood, and the furniture has started to do double duty as a baby-steadying system. Mama, it’s time to get your little one a pair of walking shoes! While experts agree that bare feet are best when it comes to learning to walk, obviously there are times (and seasons and spaces) that demand footwear for protection and sanitary reasons. While there's certainly no shortage of adorable baby kicks out there, some are better than others for the development of healthy feet and walking skills, says Dr. Paul Horowitz, a California pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Here are Dr. Horowitz's tips for selecting first walking shoes:• Shoes should be flexible and almost slipperlike, with thin soles that let the feet grab the ground. “Any sole that doesn’t allow for that makes it much harder for a child to learn to walk,” he says, because a new walker needs to be able to feel the floor beneath her for balance.• Fit matters. Whether you buy online or head to your local shoe store, be sure to select shoes snug enough that your child's feet aren't slipping or sliding around in them when he walks, but with room at the top for him to wiggle his toes. This ensures a good fit and is also an indication that your child will be able to grasp the ground with his feet. He’ll need new shoes when he can’t easily move his toes in the old ones.• Don't judge first shoes by price. Horowitz points out that some of the more expensive brand-name shoes have the thickest soles, which you should avoid for beginning walkers. Thick-soled shoes are great for older toddlers - around 2 to 2 1/2 - who have mastered walking to the point that they are actually wearing out their shoes’ soles.