Are you having the hardest 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 hard to get on and off and end up leaving red marks on the top part of your toddler’s feet? The best shoes for toddlers with high instep are the ones that provide one key feature: extra depth.
I know which shoes are deeper than others as I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for over 10 years now, where we focus on helping children with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems. I handle approximately 100 shoe fittings/try ons per week. I have noticed throughout the years that most toddlers tend to have wide or extra wide feet.
What is the Instep of the Foot?
The instep is basically the top part of the foot and when it’s high, it makes it a lot more challenging to find shoes that fit. I also like to describe the instep as the total amount of foot volume that needs to be fitted inside the shoes.
Let’s take a look at an image of a toddler with a high instep:
Is Having a High Instep the Same as Having a High Arch?
The instep and the arch are unrelated. Having a high arch doesn’t mean that the child will automatically have a high instep. I have seen children with flat feet have high insteps.
The image below might help you visualize where the instep and the arch are located:
How to Figure Out if Your Toddler has a High Instep?
I can easily tell whether children have a high instep or not by simply looking at their feet. The most common signs that a child has a high instep are:
- Having a hard time getting the shoes on and off.
- Noticing red marks on the top part (instep) of your toddler’s feet. I would say that red marks on the instep of the child’s feet is the most common sign that the child has a high instep.
- Having a hard time pulling the velcro straps to match the end of the velcro.
- Noticing that the child constantly removes the shoes:
What Shoes are Good for Toddlers with High Instep?
I recommend shoes that provide extra depth to allow the feet to fit deeply inside of the shoes and prevent the instep from rubbing against the top part of the shoes.
Let’s take a look at the difference between two shoes that are the same length and width, but provide very different levels of depth. Do you notice how the shoe on the right is a lot deeper compared to the shoe on the left? This is exactly the type of shoe that is ideal to accommodate a toddler with a high instep.
I have put together a list of the best shoes for toddlers with high insteps, but before you decide to order any of the shoes I recommend, I suggest that we make sure that you know your toddler’s exact foot shape.
Are You 100% Sure of Your Toddler’s Foot Shape?
I always suggest taking children to be properly measured and fitted for shoes at a specialized children’s shoe store. The issue is that most specialized shoe stores have been closing down (even before the pandemic), and most parents don’t know where to have their children’s feet properly measured and fitted for shoes.
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 —narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep— as well as their toddler’s exact foot length.
You can learn more about this resource in a different article called:
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 features the shoes need to provide to accommodate a high instep, let’s take a look at the best shoes for toddlers with high instep.
Best Shoes for Toddlers with High Instep ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Most of the shoes I recommend are available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (WX). All of the shoes I recommend open up widely to allow you to easily slide your toddler’s feet on and off.
I have noticed throughout the years how most toddlers tend to have wide or extra wide feet. Just look at the description below each shoe recommendation to figure out what specific foot shape that shoe style can accommodate.
Sneakers
Fits Medium, Wide, Extra WideCheck PriceFits Medium, Wide, Extra WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium, Wide, Extra WideCheck PriceFits Medium, Wide, Extra WideCheck Price
In order to allow for growing room, I highly recommend that parents order these shoes a half a size larger than the size their children’s feet measure. This translates to 0.3 inches or 0.7 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
Dress Shoes
Fits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium, Wide, Extra WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck Price
In order to allow for growing room, I highly recommend that parents order these dress shoes a half a size larger than the size their children’s feet measure. This translates to 0.3 inches or 0.7 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
Sandals
Fits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck Price
In order to allow for growing room, I highly recommend that parents order these dress shoes a half a size larger than the size their children’s feet measure. This translates to 0.3 inches or 0.7 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
Boots
Fits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck PriceFits Medium and WideCheck Price
In order to allow for growing room, I highly recommend that parents order these dress shoes a half a size larger than the size their children’s feet measure. This translates to 0.3 inches or 0.7 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a different pair of shoes to fit the shape of your toddler’s high instep, as it’s highly likely that I have fitted them before, and I will help you find them: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Have you found a specific shoe style or shoe brand that has worked well for your toddler’s high instep? Let us know in the comment section below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
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