Once your little angel has taken their first steps, it's time to think about baby booties, baby boy shoes or baby girls shoes. With so many brands, styles and models available, the choices can seem overwhelming at first. And, of course, you need baby sandals and shoes which are going to help rather than hinder your tot as they learn to put one foot in front of the other.

Like baby booties, baby shoes and baby sandals need to be soft, and with flexible soles so your baby can balance properly on their feet. So baby boy or baby girl shoes with non-slip soles are a great investment, as long as they are not too thick. The area around the ankle needs to be flexible, allowing for free movement, and breathable materials are a good idea for all baby booties and shoes.

Don't buy girls' or baby boy shoes too big a size in the hope of getting extended use out of them, nor should baby sandals need a 'breaking in' period.

Examine how your little one walks in a pair of new baby boy or baby girl shoes. Do they appear to impede movement? When remove them, are there pinched areas of red spots? To make sure it's not too tight you should be able to put your little finger in between the baby's foot and the heel of the shoe, and there would ideally be around a thumb-width between the end of the shoe and the baby's toes.

Check the fit of the shoes or baby sandals every month, and you can expect to have to buy new girls' or baby boy shoes every three to six months.

Is there really anything cuter than baby shoes? Nothing is more likely to send you into a motherly rapture than shopping for tiny little shoes for tiny little feet.

We took on the task of finding the best baby and kids' shoes. Included are our top picks for newborns, crawlers, toddlers—and big kids, too. There are styles for the girliest of girls, toughest of boys, and every kid in between. So read on, because baby needs a new pair of shoes.