Flip Flops for Kids – The Best Styles for Your Kids’ Feet!

Do you usually provide your kids with a pair of flip-flops for the summer? Do you love how easily kids can put them on and take them off? While parents love how practical and affordable flip-flops are, they should be aware of the damage they can do to their kids’ feet and legs if they allow them to wear them for longer periods of time. Certain flip flops provide better support and structure than others, and I will show you those styles shortly.

Kids’ flip-flops have been a long-standing go-to summer footwear, but many parents have asked me how long should they allow their kids to run around in flip-flops. Most flip-flops are meant for walking to the swimming pool and back, or being worn to the beach! When it comes to providing flip-flops for your kids, there are definitely certain styles that are more supportive and have better structure than others.

Colorful flip-flops for kids.

Is It Safe for Children to Wear Flip Flops?

My main concern with allowing a child to wear a pair of flip-flops is the lack of stability and support that they provide. Imagine yourself running in a pair of flip-flops, it would not only be uncomfortable, but dangerous, too! It’s highly likely that your child will still want to run around even when wearing flip-flops, so consider this before you decide to get them a pair.

Some parents have even raised the question of whether flip-flops should be banned for kids. I believe that there is nothing wrong with providing children with a pair of flip-flops as long as they wear them for short periods of time.

It is your responsibility as a parent to prevent your child from wearing flip-flops all day. I believe flip-flops are a great choice if they are worn for no more than 4 hours a day. With that said, there are certain flip-flops styles that provide better support and stability to your child’s feet, and I will describe them below.

A child in the beach wearing a pair of salt water sandals.

Are Flip-Flops Good for Everyday Wear? – Let’s Find Out!

The answer is no.

You shouldn’t allow your kids to wear their flip-flops all day no matter how much they love wearing them. Even the best quality flip-flops with more support are not appropriate to be worn for longer periods of time.

Most flip-flops don’t provide any arch or ankle support, and they also don’t hug your child’s foot properly to make him or her feel more stable. The other issue with letting your child wear flip-flops for long periods of time is that they get used to the loose fitting that flip-flops provide, and have the hardest time wearing their everyday sneakers since they will always complain about how tight they feel.

What Makes the Flip-Flops I Recommend the Better Choice? – Let’s Find Out!

If you are looking for a substantial, supportive, and comfortable pair of flip-flops for your child, then you have come to the right place. Since we fit countless children with foot issues at the shoe store that I work for, we only carry good, supportive, quality footwear.

There is a type of flip-flop made by Teva that comes with a built-in arch and a substantial supportive outsole. Even though this type of flip-flop is much more supportive than the rest, I still don’t recommend wearing them more than 4 hours a day.

Remember that flip-flops don’t have a heel counter, so they don’t provide any ankle support. 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. 

Best Flip-Flops for Kids for Better Comfort and Stability

Do wide flip-flops for children exist? In other words, will flip-flops fit a child who has wide or extra wide feet? They will, but certain styles will fit better than others! In the selection I provide above, the styles made by “Crocs” will fit a child with wide feet!

How to Make Sure that Your Kids Flip-Flops Fit

I always recommend parents take their children to their closest fitting children’s shoe store that they trust. You can have their feet properly measured and their shoes properly fitted there. The issue is that most fitting kids’ shoe stores have been closing down, and parents don’t have a place to take their kids to be properly fitted for shoes.

I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home. In that resource you will find out whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also be able to determine whether your child has a high instep or not.

Best Alternatives to Wearing Flip-Flops – Crocs, Natives or Keen Sandals?

Probably, the first summer shoe alternative that comes to mind is Crocs. I am sure you have heard of Crocs shoes before, and how most parents hate Crocs, but their kids love them! This is how a pair of Crocs looks like:

Are Crocs more supportive than flip-flops?  The answer is NO! But… They will provide better protection to your kids’ toes.

They actually provide the same support as flip-flops, and they are both not meant to be worn as everyday summer shoes. Parents are always complaining about how their kids won’t take their Crocs off and how that’s all they like to wear. Several parents have asked me if their kids’ can hurt their feet or legs if they wear Crocs, since they already lack the reputation of being the safest type of footwear for kids.

The reality is that Crocs won’t hurt your kids’ feet, as long as they wear them for shorter periods of time.

The other alternative to flip-flops is providing your child with an all-terrain type of sandal, such as Keens! 

Keen Sandals for Children

Yes, they are more expensive than flip-flops, but they provide way better support and stability. Keen sandals are the number one choice for summer play and summer camp. Parents love them because they protect their kids’ feet —they come with an indestructible rubber sole— and they support them at the same time!

There is another summer alternative to wearing flip-flops that parents actually love (mostly moms do…dads don’t care so much) called Native shoes! This is how Native shoes look like:

They are awesome for the summer since they are waterproof, dry fast, and provide better support than flip-flops.

While flip-flops are a great summer choice for kids’, you learned here that there are several other alternatives.

Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?

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

Do you allow your child to wear flip-flops during the summertime? Is there a particular style that has worked better for his or her feet? Please share your experiences below so other parents can benefit from them as well!