I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for over 10 years now that focuses on helping children with “complex” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fittings as well. I am familiar with the best shoe brands and the best shoe styles among those brands from having fitted them before. Over the years I became familiar with the best back to school shoes for kids.
I only review shoes that I have fitted before, as that is the only way for me to tell how well-made the shoes are, the amount of support that they provide, and how they fit.
The back to school shoes that I recommend below are the best ones in terms of support, comfort and durability. They are also available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW).
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather uppers
- Oversized opening
- Adjustable hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather
- Padded collar for comfort
- Memory foam insole for enhanced comfort
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 100% leather
- Cushioned insoles with additional padding at the heel
- Lace up closure for secure fit
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, and wide feet
- 100% leather
- Padded collar and terry cloth lining for comfort
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- 100% leather
- Padded collar for comfort
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 100% leather
- Outsole has excellent grip
- Air Cushion midsole allows long-wearing comfort
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Supportive outsole with padded heel area
- Rubber toe-cap for maximum durability
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- 100% leather
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- The ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- 100% leather
- Lace-up closure
- Full welt stitching
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Double velcro straps
- Padded collar for comfort
- Memory Foam foot bed for all-day comfort and support
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- The ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- 100% leather
- Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening hook and loop closure
- Lace up closure for secure fit
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- 100% leather
- Outsole has excellent grip
- Supportive outsole
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Padded footbed
- 100% leather
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits medium feet
- The ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
If you need any other type of shoes such as everyday, summer, winter, or sport shoes, you can find them all in a tool I created which lets you filter by the type of shoes that your child needs. This tool is extremely valuable since it will show you shoes in different widths such as narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide. I also tell you exactly how each shoe style is cut (short, long, narrow, or wide) and will let you filter by the instep of your child’s foot. You can even find shoes that will accommodate an orthotic. You can find that tool here:
Find the Best Shoe Style for Your Child’s Unique Feet
If there is a particular style that you would like me to review, please do leave me a comment below and I will be more than happy to feature a review in the upcoming future, or if you need an immediate response feel free to leave a message or email me and I will get back at you as soon as possible.
Thanks for the information about these shoes. I like how you give a few statistics about each one – like the “fits as expected” percentages and cheapest place to buy. I’m sure that you have many many posts about shoes. Do you always only post four at a time? I think maybe offering a few more would be useful to me as a parent if I’m shopping for my kids because I know that I like to see options.
Your reviews were good. They gave me an idea of what I was looking at besides just the look. Looks are one thing, but with the variety in children’s feet and growth rates, it can be hard to tell what you really want.
Bret,
If you scroll down my menu options you can see that I provide information about all sort of shoes, from running shoes to soccer cleats. Under my back to school shoe review you do not see a ton of shoes being reviewed mainly because I review shoes that I have fitted before and that I am familiar about their quality and support. I also tend to review shoes that accommodate narrow, medium, wide and extra wide feet. The shoes that you see under my reviews are the best fitting shoes in the market, that will fit the narrowest to the widest feet, or those feet that require orthotics.
wowee a very comprehensive site. Full, and I mean FULL of useful information. I bet it took you some time to research and write all of that eh? I particularly enjoyed the mens running shoes post and found it to be very informative. Just out of curiosity have you got a medical background? If not then way to go and if so it really shows. You also have a lot of common sense
Simon,
I am glad that you found the website informative. I actually do not have to do a lot of research since fitting shoes is what I do for a living, so basically I am writing about what I do all day. I do not have a medical background. My background is in IT, but working at a children shoe store 40 hours a week I feel like I have learned a lot throughout the years. We work closely with physical therapists and I have been evaluating children feet for the last two years.
OMgosh… I adore the Stride-Rite Claire shoes. If only, I could convince my daughter that these are the perfect shoe for her foot and for everyday wear.
Thank you for the information. There was a ton of it on each product. It’s nice to see a solid review before I purchase an item.
Amanda,
The Claire shoes made by Stride Rite are great. They come in different widths such as medium, wide and extra wide, and you can even fit an orthotic in these shoes. If fitted properly, your child should outgrow the shoes before anything happens to them. I try to review each product as much as I can so the readers can make the most informative decision.
First off I really like the layout of your website and the way you arrange the information on your page. It is really neat, easy on the reader’s eyes and very informative. It is great that you chose to highlight some background details regarding the relevant companies too. I did know that New Balance actually made school shoes! Great read!
Farhan,
Private schools often insist in white or black shoes as part of the uniform. New Balance makes these shoes and they come in different widths, such as medium, wide, and extra wide. That is the reason why I decided to review them. There are other brands such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok, that also make white and black shoes, but they won’t fit those children who have wide feet.
Hi Valenzuela,
This is a very good article you wrote.
It is a nice wide variety of shoes for everyone from men to children. I am glad you tell us where to buy it. It makes it a lot easier by just clicking on the link instead of searching the whole web.
How though are thoese shoes? I am familiar with the New Balance brand, but not the rest. Are those also high quality shoes?
Cj,
The shoes that I review are all shoes that I have fitted before. I am not only familiar with the way they fit but in order to be in my review they must be well made, high quality sturdy shoes. I only review shoes that are going to provide children with the support they need for their everyday activities.
A good review post. Very specific and helpful for parents. And the list of shoes you specified are really good for daily school wear. It seams that you have selected the best pieces from the bulk. I found Stride-Rite Claire Shoes and New Balance KV624 Shoes are comfortable and durable. Even my daughter prefers these shoes.
Sangeeta,
I always try to make my reviews comprehensive. Every time I write reviews on certain shoes I try to provide as much information as possible so parents can make the most informative decision. Back to school shoes must be supportive and durable since they are the type of shoe that the child might wear for long hours and put it through the test during physical education and recess. Every shoe I review I have fitted before and it must provide a good fit and be durable, otherwise I do not waste my time reviewing it.