The Best Back to School Shoes – Ring the Bell, School’s In!

It’s back to school again! Whether your child attends a public or private school, it’s likely time for you to purchase new uniform items. I am going to show you the most supportive, lightweight, flexible, and durable back to school shoes that are capable of fitting children with different foot shapes such as medium, wide, and extra wide feet.

When back to school season hits, it’s a madhouse at the shoe store where I work. Parents take their children to be fitted for their school shoes, and since we are a fitting store, we take the time to make sure every child leaves wearing the perfect shoe size. This does lead to parents waiting from thirty minutes to an hour for their turn.

Parents wait because they know that their children will get the same specialized attention when their turn comes, and parents like to leave the store with peace of mind that their kids’ shoes fit perfectly. We are one of the best fitting children’s shoe stores in the country. It is really important to fit your kids’ back to school shoes properly. Fitting these small people whilst pleasing them (and their parents), requires special skills and attention.

If you’re pressed for time, you can jump directly to the selection of back to school shoes for kids.

Children are particular about what they wear and how it fits, and this is demonstrated most basically through shoe choice.

I will describe the best, most durable back to school shoes that I have previously fitted at the shoe store that I work for and that meet most school requirements.

What Makes the Back to School Shoes that I Recommend the Best Choice for Kids?

Your child will be wearing his back to school shoes at recess, the playground, and physical education class. The shoes must provide your child with the appropriate everyday support to protect his feet and leg, and prevent foot and legs injuries. The shoes must also provide good durability so your child can outgrow the shoes before anything happens to them.

There are two key features that the back to school shoes that I recommend provide:

1️⃣ Good everyday support

2️⃣ Excellent durability

Your Guide to Buying Back to School Shoes — The Most Durable Styles

➡️ Sperry Dirty Buck

Have you heard of a shoe called the Dirty Buck? This is one of the most popular back to school shoes. However, they are made by several different shoe companies and their quality varies by each brand. The Dirty Buck by Sperry is most recommended and extremely popular. Popularity aside, this is a classic shoe and these brands ensure the best fit with the most child-proof quality.

The Dirty Buck by Sperry is the most durable and best well-made back to school shoe in the market right now which is also available in wide widths. This shoe type is recommended for private school dwellers. Below you can find a picture of the Dirty Buck, in case you don’t know what it looks like.

➡️ Sperry Boat Shoes

For public schools, boat shoes by Sperry for kids are the most popular ones among children. The fit is great because they are available in medium and wide widths.  These are time-tested durable shoes, and they will survive under various weather conditions! These are all unisex which must be noted. Below is a picture of a Sperry boat shoe:

➡️ Mary Jane Claire

For girls specifically, there is a shoe called Claire by Stride Rite that is sort of that brand’s answer to the Mary Jane. This shoe is made out of leather and traditionally comes in black, navy, and brown and fits medium, wide, or extra wide feet. 

This is an exceptional shoe for your daughter to grow into. The quality of this shoe is outstanding and your daughter will outgrow the shoes before anything happens to them. It also has the plus that orthotics or inserts can be put in this type of shoe since it comes with a removable insole. Below is a picture of the shoe made by Stride Rite called Claire:

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best back to school shoes for kids. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases. This allows us to create free content and resources for many families around the world. 

The Best Back to School Shoes for Kids

Take a look at the description below the image of each shoe to check if that specific shoe can fit your child’s foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide).

Looking for Other Boot Recommendations? – Get a Personalized Suggestion

Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you have any further questions or if you need a different pair of shoes for your child. My e-mail address is:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com

Black or White Back to School Shoes? Find Them Here!

I’ve noted that private schools often but not always insist on black and white sneakers. These you will find with the New Balance and the Stride Rite brand. Whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet this brand will accommodate his/her feet since their shoes come in all shapes and sizes! New Balance and Stride Rite are one of the very top choices when it comes to footwear in general.

Here you can find two resources that describe the best all black and white shoes for kids.

Sneakers for Back to School – Supportive and Durable!

Children need to get ready for those PE classes with the best kind of footwear possible. When purchasing a pair of sneakers for your son or daughter you want to make sure they are going to hold up and provide them with the best support possible.

All These Shoes Feel Too Tight! – Are You 100% Sure of Your Child’s Foot Size?

Parents, please keep in mind that when you take your children to get fitted for shoes their one and only answer to every single pair they try might be “too tight”, “too pinchy”, or “take them off right now!”… Everything feels “too tight” after wearing flip flops and Crocs all summer, so it might take some parenting to make them understand that.

I always recommend parents have their children fitted for shoes at their local shoe store, where a shoe fitter will be able to properly measure and find shoes that fit the shape of their kids’ feet perfectly. However, a lot of parents don’t have a local children’s shoe store in their area that they trust. Let’s make sure that you don’t have a good fitting children’s shoe store in your area.

How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape

If after looking at that resource you still can’t seem to find a kids’ shoe store in your area, then proceed to a virtual fitting service I created where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home. In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot size and whether the child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also will be able to tell you whether your child has a high instep or not.

Happy back to school year!

Does your child already have a pair of back to school shoes? Have you found any particular shoe style that works best? Please share your thoughts and experiences below so we can all benefit from them!