Im the biggest fan of robeez for baby shoes, especially those just learning to walk. Other baby shoes are big and bulky, and to baby they are like strapping huge bricks on to their feet - does not help them develop balance! Another common issue (especially with smaller babies like mine) regular shoes always slip right off. I can never get a secure enough fit on them to stay on. Robeez soft soled shoes are the solution to both problems. They are no more of a hindrance than socks are, but still provide the protection in walking around that is the whole point of shoes. The elastic around the ankle makes them easy to slip on and keeps them securely on baby's feet. The only thing is that these run BIG! the 0-6 mo size (the smallest size) still fits my 13 month old - though she is small (still in 6-12 mo old clothes).  We put her in them when she started walking at about 9 months and although they are well worn, we keep her in them. The next size up is a pretty big increase so we will probably go to those in a month or two. In any case, definitely order a size under what you would expect.