Kids Shoes with Wide Toe Box – The Best Shoes for Kids with Wide or Extra Wide Feet!

Are you having a hard time finding a pair of shoes to accommodate the shape of your child’s wide feet? Have you noticed red marks or indentations on the top of your kids’ feet (instep) or have you noticed your kids’ toes overlapping one other?

I have good news for you, there are certain shoes that I have fitted before that provide a rounder toe-box that prevents all of those issues from happening.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes

I have been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for the last 10 years, working for a specialized shoe store that focuses on children with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot and leg pain, but we provide regular shoe fittings as well. I have helped hundreds of children with wide feet find the perfect pair of shoes for their feet, as I am familiar with which shoe brands and which shoe styles fit wider than others.

A shoe with a wide toe-box simply implies that the shoe has more of a round shape in the front rather than a pointy one. The wide toe-box ensures that there is an appropriate space for the growth and development of your children’s toes.

When children are not able to move their toes freely inside the shoes, the toes can get cramped against each other and that constant friction can lead to blisters, calluses, and corns. The most common reason why these issues arise is from wearing shoes that are too narrow, so let’s keep your kids’ feet healthy by providing them with shoes that fit properly.

What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Wide Feet?

Parents need to keep in mind that shoes are available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW). However, one of the most common mistakes that I see parents make is to assume that once they find a shoe that is labeled as wide (W) or extra wide (XW), that shoe will automatically fit the shape of their kids’ wide feet. There are actually 2 other key features that your kids’ shoes must provide:

✅ Rounder Toe-Box:  The front part of the shoe (the toe-box), can be either rounded or pointy, and this directly affects how the shoe fits the shape of your child’s feet. Take a look at the image to visualize the difference between a shoe with a rounder toe-box versus one with a pointier toe-box. These shoes are the same length and width.

Do you notice how the New Balance shoe (right image) has a much rounder toe-box compared to the Saucony one (left image)

✅ Extra Depth: Deeper shoes allow the child’s feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevent the top part of the child’s feet (instep), from rubbing against the top part of the shoes.

Therefore, you might choose a shoe in a wide width (W) assuming that it will fit the shape of your child’s wide feet, but if the shoe has a pointy toe-box it might end up pinching your kids’ toes.

Certain shoe brands tend to be more consistent in making good quality shoes for children with wide or extra wide feet. I have noticed that New Balance makes the best shoes for children with wide or extra wide feet, as it manufactures deeper shoes with the roundest toe-boxes.

Before I provide you with a selection of the best kids’ shoes with a wide toe box, I want to first make sure that you know your child’s exact foot size. If you are going to buy your kids’ shoes online, you need to be 100% sure of your child’s foot size.

Start by taking a look at a map I created where I describe the best children’s shoe stores by state:

The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores – Where To Go For Proper Fittings

How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape

If after looking at that map you still can’t seem to find a good fitting kids’ shoe store in your area, then take a look at an article I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size:

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

In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot size 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.

I only review shoes that I have fitted before, as that is the only way for me to tell the amount of support that the shoes provide, the materials the shoes are made of,  and how they fit. Without further ado, let’s take a look at a selection of the best New Balance kids’ shoes that come with the widest, roundest toe-boxes.

The Best Kids’ Shoes with Wide Toe Box ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The shoes below provide the roundest toe-boxes and will fit the shape of a child with medium (M), wide (W), or extra wide (XW) feet. These shoes can also fit the shape of children with high insteps. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.

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To allow for growing room, I highly recommend that parents order these shoes 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 shoes.

I have fitted all of these shoe styles before and I can tell you that they provide excellent support and they are lightweight and flexible at the same time. I can also tell you that these shoes are extremely durable, and your child will outgrow them before they wear them out.

New Balance Kids’ Shoes – The Best Shoes for Kids with Wide Feet!

New Balance kids’ shoes come with the roundest, widest toe-boxes, making them the most comfortable and best fitting shoes for children with wide or extra wide feet.

Every time a child comes to the shoe store with wide or extra wide feet – or needs a pair of orthotics to be fitted inside the shoes, I always fit them in a pair of New Balance shoes.

These are the 4 most important features that the shoes I recommended provide:

✅ Support: The shoes minimize the impact that your kids’ feet take every time they come in contact with the ground.

✅ Firm Heel Counter: The shoes provide good ankle and heel support. As your children keep growing up and start getting involved in high impact activities and sports, they are going to require proper shoes to support and protect their ankles from injuries.

✅ Traction: This feature prevents children from slipping and falling, especially when they are walking on wet and slippery surfaces.

✅ Breathable: Shoes must be breathable to prevent the buildup of bacteria inside the shoes.

I always explain to parents that allowing their children to wear shoes without socks can create several foot issues. Socks act as a barrier between the feet and the shoes, and prevent the buildup of bacteria inside the shoes.

Let’s Keep your Kids’ Feet Healthy – Don’t Forget About the Socks!

Certain children feel every bump and lump as soon as they put their socks on. The good news is that I have the solution to stop the fussing! Have you ever heard of seamless socks? Parents call them the miracle socks since they truly make a difference in the way the socks feel.

Another important advantage of seamless socks is that they help prevent your kids’ toes from overlapping each other, which is really important especially if your child has wide or extra wide feet. You can see a selection of the best seamless socks for kids here:

Seamless Socks For Kids – Stop The Struggle Of Putting Socks On!

Do you happen to need a pair of shoes with a round toe-box for yourself? I actually wrote an article where I describe the best women’s shoes with a wide toe box and you can find it here:

Women’s Shoes with a Wide Toe Box – The Best Shoe Styles with Round Toe Boxes!

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

Have you found a particular shoe style that has worked well for your child’s wide feet? Please share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.