Dress Sandals for Kids – The Most Supportive, Durable, Comfortable, and Affordable Styles!
Have you been looking for a supportive, comfortable, durable, and affordable pair of dress sandals for your child? Are you looking for a pair that you can dress your child up but that is supportive and durable enough for your child to be able to run around and play with? The dress sandals for kids that I recommend in this article are made from high-quality materials such as leather, provide substantial outsoles that are lightweight and flexible, and they also come well-padded around the heel area to prevent blisters and other foot issues.
Parents often get confused about deciding which pair of sandals to provide for their children as there are a lot of different styles out there.
The fact is that to keep your children’s feet healthy during the summer, you need to find a sandal that fits your child’s foot shape perfectly. Children’s feet come in all different shapes and sizes, and some children might have a more “complicated” foot shape such as narrow or wide feet.
A lot of parents don’t put a lot of thought into their kids’ dress sandals as they might wear them for a couple of hours a day and once in a while, but you might want to rethink this. It only takes a couple of wears in the wrong type of shoe to develop a foot issue such as a blister.
The materials that the sandals are made of have a direct impact on the overall fit and comfort of the sandal. As I mentioned before the dress sandals that I recommend are made out of leather, which is one of the best materials as it’s soft and molds to the shape of your child’s feet.
What Shoe Brands Manufacture the Best Dress Sandals for Kids?
While I am no fashion expert, I have been told that the sandals that I recommend are very stylish. Some of the most popular and best dress sandals shoe brands for children are:
➡️ Naturino
➡️ See Kai Run
➡️ Frodo
➡️ Livie & Luca
➡️ Nina
➡️ Primigi
➡️ Stride Rite
When children don’t feel comfortable in a particular shoe, they will refuse to wear it, so make sure that the shoes are the correct size and made from comfortable, high-quality materials. Below you can learn about what features the sandals that I recommend provide.
Leather Dress Sandals for Kids – Soft, Comfortable, and Durable!
1️⃣ Support: This feature allows your child to wear sandals for most of the day. Dress sandals that provide good support minimize the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground.
2️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible: These features help prevent your children’s feet from easily getting tired. Depending on the age of your child, he/she might not have the strength to bend a harder sole.
3️⃣ Fit: Since the sandals that I recommend are all made out of leather, they provide a better overall fit by offering better comfort to your kids’ feet.
4️⃣ Prevent Infections: Leather sandals are easy to maintain and clean, and they help prevent infections and bacteria.
Do You Buy Your Kids’ Sandals in the Store or Online?
I always recommend parents to take their children to be properly fitted for shoes at their local children’s shoe store. Start by taking a look at a resource that describes the best fitting children’s shoe stores by state.
For the last 5 years; I have dedicated myself to helping parents find the perfect pair of shoes for their children online. However, to be able to buy your kids’ shoes online, you must know your child’s exact foot size. I wrote an article 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 length 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.
Now that you know your child’s exact foot size, let’s take a look at a selection of the best dress sandals 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. 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.
The Best Dress Sandals for Kids
Many of the sandals featured below come in several color options, so if your child likes a specific model, please make sure to click through and see if they have the desired color.
Girls
- Shoe style Summer Time by Stride Rite
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- 100% leather
- Padded heel collar for comfort
- Memory foam insole for enhanced comfort
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Gloria III by See Kai Run
- Fits wide and extra wide feet
- Water-friendly and machine washable
- EVA foam footbed cushions and softly supports for all-day comfort
- Rigid at the toe box
- Order this sandal half a size larger than you toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Sr Whitney by Stride Rite
- Available in wide widths
- 100% leather
- Padded heel collar for comfort
- Memory foam insole for enhanced comfort
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your toddler’s foot size
- Shoe style Paley Ii by See Kai Run
- Fits wide and extra wide feet
- Water-friendly and machine washable
- EVA foam footbed cushions and softly supports for all-day comfort
- Rigid at the toe box
- Order this sandal half a size larger than you child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Sr Whitney by Stride Rite
- Available in wide widths
- 100% leather
- Padded heel collar for comfort
- Memory foam insole for enhanced comfort
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your toddler’s foot size
- Shoe style 360 by Stride Rite
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double adjustable straps
- Machine washable
- Memory foam footbed
- Order this sandal the same size as your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Bare Steps by Merrell
- Available in wide widths
- 100% Leather
- 2 adjustable velcro straps for easy on and off
- Outsole with rounded edges to follow the natural shape of a child’s foot
- Flexible grooves on the outsole for a barefoot feel
- Order this sandal a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Kaisa by See Kai Run
- Fits wide and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- FlexiRun EVA foam outsole is ultra-lightweight and flexible with durable traction pattern for outdoor wear
- Dual hook-and-loop straps allow for a secure fit and custom adjustability
- Water-friendly and machine washable
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your toddler’s foot size
- Shoe style Gloria V by See Kai Run
- Fits wide and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Textile and synthetic upper
- Adjustable ankle strap with hook-and-loop closure.
- Water-friendly
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
Boys
- Shoe style SRT Archie by Stride Rite
- Available in wide and extra wide widths
- Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening and hook and loop closure
- Slip-resistant traction with sensory pod technology to help feel the ground underneath
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Bare Steps H20 by Merrell
- Available in wide widths
- 100% leather
- Flexible grooves on the outsole for a barefoot feel
- Convenient alternative closure for a snug fit and easy on/off
- Order this sandal half a size larger than you toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style SRT Oaklynn by Stride Rite
- Available in wide widths
- 100% leather
- Flexible grooves on the outsole for a barefoot feel
- Double velcro straps for easy on and off
- Order this sandal half a size larger than you toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Flex Sydney by Pediped
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Water-friendly and machine washable
- EVA foam footbed cushions and softly supports for all-day comfort
- Rigid at the toe box
- Order this sandal half a size larger than you child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Jude Iv Fisherman by See Kai Run
- Fits wide and extra wide feet
- Water-friendly and machine washable
- High heel design provides better support and helps with lateral movements
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Double Strap by Lucky Brand
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Supportive footbed
- Adjustable buckles at the front and velcro strap at the back for easy on and off
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Kolding by UGG
- Fits wide and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Textile and synthetic upper
- Adjustable ankle strap with hook-and-loop closure.
- Water-friendly
- Order this sandal half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
Please note that most sandals come in whole sizes only and might not be available in half sizes.
To allow for growing room, I highly recommend that parents order these sandals half a size larger than their child’s current foot size. This translates to 3/16 of an inch or 0.4 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the sandals.
Does Your Child Have a “Complicated” Foot Shape? – Narrow or Extra Wide Feet
The dress sandals that I described in this article are capable of fitting children with medium or wide feet, but they don’t fit children with narrow or extra wide feet. If your child happens to have narrow or extra wide feet, please refer to other two different resources I created.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a particular shoe style for your child’s feet. My e-mail address is:
Did I forget to mention a particular shoe brand that makes high-quality and supportive dress sandals?
