Mary Jane Shoes for Kids with High Insteps – Extra Deep, Stylish, and Durable!

Have you been looking for a pair of Mary Jane shoes that can fit your child’s high instep? Have you tried several different Mary Jane shoe styles but they all fit too narrow and leave red marks or indentations on the top of your child’s feet? Whether you are looking for a pair of dressier or casual Mary Jane shoes that your child can wear to run around and play you came to the right place. I am going to show you a list of the best Mary Jane shoes for kids with high insteps based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.

Do You Know Where the Instep of the Foot Is Located?

Children with high insteps usually have a hard time finding shoes that fit for the simple fact that there is extra foot volume that needs to be fitted inside of the shoes. Below you can find an example of where the instep of the foot is located. The image below shows you the extra foot volume that needs to be fitted inside of the shoes:

The biggest issue that children with high insteps have when trying to fit in a pair of Mary Jane shoes is that the strap usually rubs against the top part of their feet (instep). Let me show you an image for better visualization purposes. Do you notice how the Mary Jane strap is digging into the child’s feet?

To prevent this from happening we need to fit that child in a pair of Mary Jane shoes that are deeper. There is a limited selection of Mary Jane shoes that are capable of fitting children with high insteps, but the good news is that I will help you find them.

Pro Tip: If you’re pressed for time, you can go straight to the selection of Mary Jane shoes for kids with high insteps.

What Makes the Mary Jane Shoes I Recommend Effective for High Insteps?

Extra depth is the key feature that the Mary Jane shoes I recommend provide. This feature is going to allow your child’s feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevent the top part of their feet from rubbing against the top part of the shoes.

The issue is that kids’ shoes don’t come labeled as “extra deep”, so the only way to tell whether a shoe provides extra depth is by having fitted the shoe before.

Let me show you a clear example of what I mean by extra depth. Take a look at the image below, these shoes are the same size, but do you notice how the shoe on the top is a lot deeper compared to the shoe below?

In addition to fitting the shape of your child’s high instep, the Mary Jane shoe styles that I recommend provide the following features:

1️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature is going to support your kids’ feet when running around. The substantial outsole of the Mary Jane is going to minimize the impact that your kids’ feet take when they come in contact with the ground. This feature is also important as it makes the shoes more durable.

2️⃣ Targeted Padding: The Mary Jane shoes I recommend provide extra padding around the heels to increase comfort and prevent your child from developing blisters.

3️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible: Your kids’ Mary Jane shoes need to be supportive but they need to be lightweight and flexible at the same time to prevent your kids’ feet from easily getting tired.

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

I am going to provide you with a selection of the best Mary Jane shoes for kids with high insteps, but you won’t be able to order the correct shoe size online if you don’t know what your child’s foot size is to begin with.

If you don’t know your child’s foot size you should take a look at a different article I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home.

Now that you know your child’s exact foot size, you are ready to take a look at the best Mary Jane shoes for kids with high insteps.  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 Mary Jane Shoes for High Insteps

These are the deepest Mary Jane shoes that I have fitted before. Some of these styles are available in different widths such as wide (W) so make sure to look at the description below the image.

Toddler Sizes (0 to 10)

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• Shoe style Soft Motion Makayla Mary by Stride Rite

• Available in medium and wide widths

• APMA approved and built for toddlers

• Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening hook and loop closure

• Rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style SRT Nell Mary Jane by Stride Rite

• Available in medium and wide widths

• Leather made with classic T-strap styling, perforated details and easy hook and loop closure

• APMA approved and built for toddlers

• Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening hook and loop closure

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Holly by Stride Rite

• Available in medium and wide widths

• Patent leather upper

• Oversized openings

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current AFO size

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• Shoe style Susie by See Kai Run

• Fits medium and wide feet

• Breathable leather lining feels great against the foot

• Padded collar

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Harper Mary Jane by Footmates

• Available in medium and wide widths

• Removable, dual insoles in Medium and Wide are provided for customized fitting

• Padded collar for comfort

• Breathable leather lining and cushioned leather lined foot-bed for all-day comfort

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Flex Estella Mary Jane by Pediped

• Fits medium and wide feet

• The Flex Fit System provides additional inserts that can be inserted for a snug fit and can then be removed for room as your child’s foot grows

• Padded collar for comfort

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Ella Mary Jane by Keds

• Available in medium and wide widths

• 100% leather

• Durable rubber outsole

• Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening hook and loop closure

• Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Cordaline Dress by Stride Rite

• Available in medium and wide widths

• Premium leather 

• Durable rubber outsole

• Removable contoured footbed plus “fit check” insole to show when a new size is needed

• Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

Little/Big Kid Sizes (10.5 to 7)

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• Shoe style Sr Ainsley Mary Jane by Stride Rite

• Available in medium and wide widths

• 100% leather

• Ortholite memory foam for enhanced comfort 

• APMA approved

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style BTS Sherry by FootMates

• Available in medium and wide widths

• Classic Mary Jane kids crafted from a smooth leather upper with a perforated design at the top for breathability

• Flexible rubber outsole

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Mary Jane Flat by See Kai Run

• Fits wide and extra wide feet

• 100% leather

• Padded collar for comfort

• Patent leather uppers with scalloped topline edging

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Reese Mary Jane by Hush Puppies

• Available in medium and wide widths

• 100% leather

• Padded collar for comfort

• Cushy memory foam footbed for all day comfort and support 

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Reese by Hush Puppies

• Available in medium and wide widths

• 100% leather

• Padded collar for comfort

• Cushy memory foam footbed for all day comfort and support 

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style Reese Sport Mary Jane by Hush Puppies

• Available in medium and wide widths

• Durable and genuine leather upper

• Padded collar for comfort

• Anti-stink lining with memory foam footbed for all-day comfort and support

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Shoe style 56083 by Cienta

• Not available in wide or extra wide widths but fits naturally wide

• Textile lining and a cushioned textile footbed with a removable insole

• Durable rubber outsole

• Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

All the Mary Jane shoes I recommend come with a velcro strap instead of a buckle so your child can easily put them on and take them off:

Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?

Please do not hesitate to contact me if none of the shoes above match the style that you are looking for: [email protected] 

Let’s see what other families who already have tried these Mary Jane shoes have to say about them.

Reviews from Other Families – Rate it!

“Only Mary Jane that works for my daughter’s feet”

“I was ready to give up on my quest of finding a pair of “nice looking” shoes that my daughter could wear other than her sneakers. Because the top part of her feet is so high, she always complains about the shoes rubbing her in the wrong spot. I tried the style by Pediped and her feet slide right in and the velcro strap wasn’t digging on her feet. I am so happy she is finally able to wear a nicer pair of shoes.”

“Finally a Mary Jane that doesn’t leave red marks on my daughter’s feet”

“Every time I remove my daughter’s Mary Jane I noticed red marks on her feet. My friend told me to try See Kai Run shoes as they tend to fit wide feet with high insteps. The first style we tried was still too narrow but after I ordered the “Jane” style her feet fit perfectly. It seems like not all See Kai Run shoes are good for high insteps, but there are specific styles that do work.”

“These Tsukihoshi Mary Jane shoes are amazing”

“I order the Tsukihoshi style that you recommended and I couldn’t be happier. You were right about the shoes fitting really long. We had to exchange them for a smaller size. My daughter has been running around and playing on these shoes for the last 3 months and they have held up perfectly so far. She replaced these with her sneakers and they are the only shoe she will wear.”

Do This to Check if Your Kids’ Mary Jane Shoes Fit – 2 Simple Steps!

Once the Mary Jane shoes arrive make sure that your daughter puts them on and have her walk around the house. With the Mary Jane shoes on, slide your finger around the widest part of the shoe (as shown below) and make sure that there is not too much pressure between the shoes and your daughter’s instep. If there is no space for you to slide your finger then that’s a sign that the Mary Jane might be too narrow.

Should Your Child Wear Socks with Her Mary Jane Shoes?

Children can wear Mary Jane shoes with a pair of socks, tights, or nothing. However, I suggest that your daughter wears socks with her Mary Jane shoes as this will increase comfort and prevent your daughter’s heels from rubbing against the back of the shoes.

Socks act as a barrier between your kids’ feet and the shoes, preventing the buildup of bacteria inside the shoes as well as irritation and infection.

I hope you found this information helpful and please do not hesitate to contact me if you are having issues finding a different pair of shoes to accommodate the shape of your child’s high instep.

Have you found a specific Mary Jane shoe that has worked well for your daughter’s high instep? Let us know in the comment section below so other families can benefit from your findings.