Children’s feet are as different as the kids themselves. Children’s feet are long and short as well as narrow and wide. That’s the reason the German Shoe Institute developed the WMS system. It makes it easier to get oriented.
The WMS system stands for high-quality baby and children's shoes that support the natural development of children's feet.
How does the WMS system work?
WMS is a system for measuring children's feet and simply means "wide", "medium" and "narrow". The three widths refer to the shape of the child's foot.
It’s also a German Shoe Institute quality seal for tested children's shoes. If a manufacturer, such as superfit, uses WMS standards, this means an optimal fit for as many children's feet as possible. That’s because the shoes aren’t just available in different lengths, but also in different widths.
Optimum fit counts
Good shoes should be neither too short nor too long, nor too tight nor too wide. To provide an optimal fit for all children's feet, shoes come in width W (wide) for wider children's feet, M (medium) – the optimal width for the majority of children – and in width S ("narrow") for rather narrow children's feet.
Determine the shoe width with our WMS measuring template
To make it easier to use the WMS system, we offer you a practical measuring template. You can use this template to determine your child's foot length and width at home.
You can download the measuring template here:
This is how it works:
- Print out the template: Print out the template at 100% original size on A4 paper and check the scale to ensure accurate results.
- Measure: Place your child's heel on the mark provided and read off the length as well as the appropriate shoe width (narrow, medium, wide).
Tips for accurate results: Measure feet while standing, ideally in the afternoon or evening as feet can expand throughout the day.
Important to know: This measuring template is based on the WMS system. For professional advice, we recommend that you also have your child's feet measured by a specialist retailer.
Measuring devices mean certainty
A special WMS measuring device is available to measure the foot width. Most shoe retailers that offer WMS shoes also have this measuring device in their shoe shops. The width measurement values of this device are specially adapted to WMS shoes.
Important to know: If a licensed WMS measuring device is not used, deviations can occur.
