Best Shoes for Toddlers with High Instep | The Top 6 Sneakers, Dress Shoes, Sandals, and Boots!

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated and revised for accuracy on February 2022 and reflects an up-to-date selection of the best shoes for toddlers with high instep.

Are you having a hard time finding a pair of shoes to accommodate your toddler’s high instep? Do you feel like you try several different shoe brands and styles but they are all too difficult to get on and off, leaving red marks on the top of your toddler’s feet? The best shoes for toddlers with high insteps are the ones that provide one key feature: extra depth.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes

I have been working at a specialized children’s shoe store for over 10 years, where we focus on helping children with “complicated” foot shapes, foot conditions, and leg conditions. I handle approximately 100 shoe fittings/try-ons per week and have learned through my experience the best shoes for toddlers with high insteps.

What is the Instep of the Foot?

The instep is the top middle portion of the foot (between the toes and the ankle). I also like to describe the instep as the total amount of foot volume that needs to be fitted inside a shoe. Higher insteps can make it more difficult to find shoes that both fit and are comfortable.

Let’s take a look at an image of a toddler with a high instep:

toddler-foot-with-high-instep — *Image of a toddler with a wide foot and high instep.*

Is Having a High Instep the Same as Having a High Arch?

The instep and the arch are unrelated. Having a high instep doesn’t mean that a child will automatically have a high arch. I have seen children with flat feet have high insteps.

The image below may help you visualize where the instep and the arch are located:

How to Figure Out if Your Toddler has a High Instep?

I can tell whether a child has a high instep or not simply by looking at their feet. Below I have listed some of the most common signs of a high instep to see if your toddler likely has a high instep:

Having difficulty getting the shoes on and off.

Noticing red marks on the top part (the instep) of your toddler’s feet. I would say that red marks on the instep of a child’s foot are the most common sign that the child has a high instep.

Having a difficult time pulling straps to match the end of the velcro:

Noticing your child is constantly removing his or her shoes:

What Shoes are Good for Toddlers with High Instep?

I recommend shoes that provide extra depth to allow a toddler’s foot to fit deeply inside their shoe and prevent their instep from rubbing uncomfortably against the top of the shoe.

Let’s take a look at two shoes that are the same length and width but provide different levels of depth. Do you notice how the shoe on the right is a lot deeper than the shoe on the left? This greater depth is ideal for toddlers with high insteps.

shoes-for-kids-with-high-instep — *The difference in depth between a Stride Rite shoe (left) and a New Balance shoe (right).*

I have put together a list of the best shoes for toddlers with high insteps below. However, before you order the shoes, I recommend that you learn your toddler’s exact foot shape.

Are You 100% Sure of Your Toddler’s Foot Shape?

I always suggest taking your child to be properly measured and fitted for shoes at a specialized children’s shoe store. However, with the increasing scarcity of these types of specialized shoe stores (even before the pandemic), it can be difficult for families to know where to get their children’s feet properly fitted.

For those families who don’t have a specialized or independent shoe store in their area, I created a free resource that helps them retrieve their toddler’s exact foot shape and length.

You can learn more about this resource in the article below:

How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width

Now that you know your toddler’s exact foot shape and what shoe features are needed to accommodate a high instep, let’s take a look at the best shoes for toddlers with high insteps. Disclosure: We may receive commissions when you click the links below and make purchases.