Tuesday, 5:25 p.m., and your kid is lacing up for practice. The cleats hurt. With three weeks left in the season, you do not want to buy new ones.

The fit check

Press on the toe while your kid stands. If the toes are curled or pressed against the end, the cleat is too small, and three more weeks of it isn’t worth the pain.

The American Podiatric Medical Association suggests about 10 to 15 millimeters of room past the longest toe. Fit to the larger foot. APMA also suggests checking shoe size every four to six months.

The cheap fix

Ask the team chat first. Anyone have a size 3 youth cleat we can borrow for the rest of the season? Plenty of families have an outgrown pair in the garage.

Used cleats on local marketplace apps are another option. Check the sole and the inside, and if both are clean and intact, a scuffed upper doesn’t matter for three weeks.

End-of-season sales are real too, often with last year’s colorway marked down. If you can wait a week, wait. If practice is tomorrow, buy what fits today at whatever price the store has.

The right fix, and what to skip

Buying a half size up for growth is the move most of us were taught. We used to recommend it here too. Cleveland Clinic warns that shoes a half or whole size too big can lead to trips and falls, so buy the size that fits with room at the toe.

Skip the top-tier pro cleat for an eight-year-old. Kids’ club-level cleats from the big brands list around $45 to $55, and that’s plenty for a rec field.

If your kid wants the brand the teammates wear, buy used, buy last year’s model on sale, or save up for next season. Any of the three works.

If a cleat splits mid-game, ask the coach about a spare, or let your kid finish in sneakers. Replace them Monday.

Once the new pair is home, cleat care that triples the lifespan keeps it going, and the season essentials guide covers the rest of the list. For the talk about what to buy, see the cleat conversation.

Updated October 27, 2026: corrected earlier advice to buy cleats half a size up for growth; current fit guidance favors the size that fits with toe room.