Best High Top Shoes for Kids – Supportive, Lightweight, and Stylish!
Does your child prefer a pair of high top shoes over regular sneakers? Have you been looking for a pair of high top shoes for your child that are supportive, stylish, durable, and affordable? I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for the last 10 years, and based on my shoe fitting experience I have put together a list of the best high top shoes for kids.
Why Do Children Prefer High Top Shoes Over Regular Sneakers?
Some children simply prefer how high top shoes look over low-cut regular sneakers, but there are other reasons why children should wear high top shoes:
- Athletic activities such as basketball
- Medical conditions that require the shoes to come up higher on the ankles
Is It Safe for Children to Wear High Top Shoes?
Children can wear high top shoes as their everyday shoes. Several people believe that the extra ankle support may actually cause the muscles in the ankle to weaken from not having to work as hard to support the body. Keep in mind that high top shoes don’t necessarily provide better ankle and heel support than low-cut sneakers.
Not all kids’ high top shoes provide the same levels of support, as some of them are a lot more supportive than others. For example, I have fitted high top shoes that don’t provide a firm heel counter (back part of the shoe), which defeats the whole purpose of wearing a high top shoe. With that said, there are certain high top shoes that can make a big difference in helping improve your child’s foot posture and stability, and those are the ones I will show to you shortly.
Are Converse High Top Shoes Supportive?
A perfect example of a high top shoe that doesn’t provide any support is Converse. This shoe brand manufacturers affordable, stylish shoes that children love to wear. However, Converse high tops have very flat outsoles that offer minimal cushioning and support.
What Features Your Kids’ High Top Shoes Must Provide?
I suggest looking for high top shoes that provide good support but are lightweight and flexible at the same time.
1️⃣ Supportive Outsole: All of the high top shoes that I recommend provide supportive outsoles so children can walk and run around all day with their feet being supported. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:
2️⃣ Firm Heel Counter with Extra Padding: I also suggest looking for high top shoes that provide extra cushion and support right below the heels. This feature helps attenuate the impact on your child’s feet every time they come in contact with the ground. There are certain high top shoes that provide extra cushion and support right below the heels:
Where Can You Find High Top Shoes that Provide these 2 Features?
You can visit your local shoe store to see if they carry shoes with these two features or you can buy them online. However, if you prefer to shop for your kids’ shoes online, you must be 100% sure of your child’s foot length and shape.
The Importance of Fitting Your High Top Shoes Correctly
Shoes that don’t fit correctly can lead to foot issues such as blisters, calluses, corns, and ingrown toenails. Do you know your child’s exact foot shape? Do you know whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? These are all factors that determine what types of high top shoes your child should wear.
The selection of high top shoes that I recommend are available in different widths (medium, wide), so it’s important that you know your child’s exact foot length and shape so you can choose the shoes accordingly.
Find Out How to Order the Correct Shoe Size Online
If you don’t have a local specialized children’s shoe store that you trust, you can use the resource I created below to retrieve your child’s exact foot length and shape.
Let’s now take a look at a selection of the best high top 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.
Best High Top Shoes for Kids
All of the high top shoes that I recommend below are supportive, lightweight, flexible, and durable. Make sure that you take a look at the description below each shoe to check whether that specific style can fit your child’s foot shape.
- Shoe style Coco Unity by New Balance
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Lockdown 6 by Under Armour
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cross Em Up by Adidas
- Fits children with medium or wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cross Em Up by Adidas
- Fits children with medium or wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Extra padding around the ankles
- Lace-up closure
- Rubber outsole provides excellent grip
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Postmove Mid by Adidas
- Fits children with narrow and medium feet
- Padded collar to increase comfort and prevent blisters
- Firm heel counter
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cross Em Up by Adidas
- Fits children with medium or wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cross Em Up by Adidas
- Fits children with medium or wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Mid cut
- Lace-up closure
- Cushioned midsole
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Donovan Mitchell by Adidas
- Fits children with medium or wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Mid cut
- Lace-up closure
- Cushioned midsole
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cross Em Up by Adidas
- Fits children with medium or wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Stable base of support with firm heel counters
- Velcro closure
- Perforations for breathability
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Jet ’21 by Under Armour
- Fits children with narrow and medium feet
- Padded collar to increase comfort and prevent blisters
- Firm heel counter
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
All of the high top shoes that I recommend are made from high-quality and durable materials, that way your child can wear them as their everyday shoes. Make sure that your child’s high top shoes are properly tied at all times so your child can get the full support and stability that the shoes have to offer.
If your child is into other sports or activities that involve a lot of running then it might be wise to invest in a pair of low-cut regular sneakers.
Get a Personalized Suggestion
Do not hesitate to contact me directly to my e-mail if you are looking for a specific pair of high top shoes that is not listed here or if the shoes I recommended are not available in your child’s foot size. My e-mail address is:
In the meantime, I suggest that you take a couple additional resources I created of high top shoes for kids with wide feet or foot problems.
Tying and Undoing Your Kids’ High Top Shoes Correctly
Make sure that your child gets into the habit of untying the shoes when taking them off to preserve the support of the shoes. When children slip in and out of the shoes without untying the knot it makes the shoes less supportive over time.
Are High Top Shoes Heavy for Everyday Wear?
High top shoes used to be heavier than low-cut regular sneakers, but thanks to some of the new materials being developed, they are much lighter than they were.
What Types of Socks Work Best for High Top Shoes?
I suggest that you make sure that your kids’ socks are tall enough to prevent the top part of the high top shoes from rubbing against your child’s skin.
Final Thoughts
Children should wear appropriate shoes to protect their feet and support their bodies, especially when they participate in high-impact athletic activities such as basketball. The debate over whether children should wear high top or low-cut sneakers has been going on for several decades.
Keep in mind that your child’s feet are more susceptible to damage than your feet. It’s important that you make sure that your child is wearing shoes that fit them well (width as well as length) and that they are worn for task they are wearing them for.
In my experience, there is nothing wrong with children wearing their high top shoes as their everyday pair of sneakers.
Let me know in the comment section below if you have a favorite shoe brand or found a specific pair of high top shoes that worked well for your child. I am sure other families will benefit from reading about your experiences!
