PLAE Shoes for Kids – Are They Good for Your Kids’ Feet?
Have you heard of the kids’ shoe brand PLAE? This shoe brand has been growing tremendously! Children love how comfortable and stylish these shoes are, and parents love the support and durability that these shoes provide. I am going to show you a list of the best PLAE shoes for kids based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
The type of shoes that you provide for your child have a direct impact on keeping your kids’ feet and legs healthy. It’s important to provide your kids with good supportive shoes in the correct shoe size to prevent foot pain and injuries, as well as back problems in the future.
We started carrying PLAE shoes when they first came out, and they had a hard time taking off. At first, I honestly didn’t like fitting their shoes, since at that time they didn’t provide good support.
PLAE Shoes for Kids – What Sets Them Apart?
PLAE has become one of the most popular kids’ shoe brands, but there are certain shoe styles among this brand that are better than others in terms of comfort and support.
PLAE Shoes – Durable, Washable, and Customizable Shoes for Kids!
I think one of the things I love the most about this shoe brand is how they build their shoes with kids’ biomechanics in mind. If you pay close attention you will notice how their shoes are designed with rounded toed-boxes and flexible soles for smoother and more balanced movement.
Kids love how they can customize the velcro straps, and parents love how they can just throw them in the washing machine to easily wash the shoes as soon as they start developing a smell.
Another great feature I love about these shoes is how wide they open up. If you have a child with wide feet or one who always has a hard time getting the shoes on, these shoes will be perfect for him/her.
Some of the awesome features that these shoes provide are:
1️⃣ Flexible
2️⃣ Lightweight
3️⃣ Breathable
4️⃣ Machine-washable
5️⃣ Removable insoles
6️⃣ Good traction
7️⃣ Eco minded
PLAE makes great shoes for children, but if your kids are into running a lot there are other types of shoes that provide better support. However, I have spoken with several parents that actually swear by this brand and tell me how these shoes are the perfect combination of comfort, style, and durability!
Parents are always asking me at the kids’ shoe store that I work for if PLAE shoes are good for their kids’ feet. My response is, “It depends on your child’s foot shape and how active your child is”.
What Foot Shapes Can PLAE Shoes Accommodate?
PLAE shoes fit children with medium or wide feet. They are actually great shoes for walking and running around, going to the playground, and going to the shopping mall because they do look pretty stylish.
So many parents love this brand because it designs quality shoes that are really well-made and also fun. I really like how this brand uses the biometric science to create shoes that protect the natural development of children’s feet.
I only review shoes that I have fitted before since 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. Below you can find a selection of the best PLAE shoes for kids! 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. This allows us to create free content and resources for many families around the world.
The Best PLAE Shoes for Kids
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Removable insoles
- Washable
- Double velcro straps
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Removable insoles
- Washable
- Double velcro straps
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 100% IMEVA
- Ultra lightweight EVA
- Water-friendly, quick dry
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 100% IMEVA
- Ultra lightweight EVA
- Water-friendly, quick dry
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
If none of these shoes are available in your child’s shoe size or if you need the shoes to be made of a specific color don’t hesitate to email me at: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Are You Sure of Your Child’s Foot Size? – Let’s Find Out!
I always recommend that parents take their kids to their local children’s shoe store, where they can be properly fitted for shoes. The issue is that several parents have contacted me complaining that they don’t have a local children’s shoe store in their area that they trust.
The first step is to double check whether you have a good-fitting children’s shoe store in your area. I created a resource that describes the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state.
If you are one of those parents, start by reading an article I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home. In this 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.
f your child has any of the foot conditions mentioned below, you should stay away from PLAE shoes:
➡️ PLAE shoes won’t fit a child with narrow feet.
➡️ PLAE shoes are not recommended for flat-footed children.
➡️ PLAE shoes are not recommended for a child who has stability issues.
What Makes PLAE Shoes So Special? – Style and Comfort!
PLAE shoes are durable and comfortable, and they feature removable insoles. Also, if your child has sweaty, stinky feet, you can easily throw them in the washing machine.
These shoes can also be a great alternative to light-up shoes. If your child has been asking for light-up shoes for a while now, you might be able to compromise and show him a different type of fun shoe.
I have spoken with some parents that love how durable these shoes are. They say how they have never had a problem with them, and how their kids always end up outgrowing their shoes before anything happens to them!
Let your kids put their shoes to the test… PLAE Is Ready! If your child is into running and playing sports at a more competitive level, there are other types of shoes that will provide more support to their feet for those activities. There is an article in which you can find the best running shoes for children.
Has your child ever owned a pair of PLAE shoes? Is there a particular PLAE shoe style that you recommend? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below so other parents can benefit from them!
I hope you don’t give kids orthotics unless they’re in pain. Are you familiar with Naturalpodiatry.com or naturalfootgear.com? Please take a look and do some research. Kids’ feet need to splay and the muscles need to work and not be supported. (So do adult feet for that matter). Why is it that our feet are the only part of the body that we feel it’s necessary to permanently brace with orthotics? We wouldn’t dream of leaving a neck brace on indefinitely. The muscles and joints of the feet provide the body’s foundation. Only by using them do they work well.
Thank you for your attention to this.
Hello Kyle,
Thank you for your feedback. Pain is not the only reason to treat. When a child has a foot condition that’s left untreated, it might produce a problem sometime later in the child’s life. It might not be on the foot, it might be on the knee, the hip, the back, all of the structure and joints above the feet depend on the feet.
Some medical professionals recommend children to wear orthotics while some other take a different approach. I always tell parents to follow the advice from their medical professionals.
My daughter has been wearing plae for the last 3 years and they fit her perfectly and are very durable. Her feet are actually more towards the narrow side and the fact that you can decide how tight you want the shoe has made these shoes the perfect feet! Plae shoes are reliable they will last until your kids outgrow the shoes.
Hi Elisa,
Thank you for sharing! Which specific style worked well for your daughter’s narrow feet?
My 3 year old daughter is battling a brain tumor and wears orthotics on her left side. Plae is the only shoe that has worked for her. They open wide and we buy the longer velcro strap to fit across her brace. They also let you order 2 different sizes. We’ve tried everything.
Hello Kristen,
I am sorry to hear that but thank you for sharing. Other parents will be happy to know PLAE shoes work for children who need orthotics. I believe they make great shoes and the velcro straps are fun and come in different colors!
I bought a pair of PLAE shoes for my 5yr old son. His feet are xw, high instep & wears an AFO. There was no support at all. My 7yr old son who has flat narrow feet also had a pair and ended up twisting his foot because the shoe offered no support for him. Needless to say I was highly disappointed and wasted over $100. Still searching for a good comfortable shoe for them
Sandra,
While the shoe company PLAE claims that their shoes fit orthotics, I have NEVER fitted a pair of orthotics in these type of shoes since I don’t find them supportive or deep enough to fit an orthotic. There are other several styles that will fit a pair of AFO or any other type of orthotics much better.
For your child that wears orthotics, you should check out this post where I describe the best shoes for children who need orthotics:
The Best Shoes for Kids that Need Orthotics – Keep Your Kids’ Feet and Legs Healthy!
I will also recommend you read that post for your child how has narrow and flat feet. You should strongly consider providing him with a pair of lace up sneakers instead of velcro closure, since it will hug his narrow feet much better, and provide him with more support and stability!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Wow. I’m not a parent but I have a lot of smaller cousins who are SUPER active and love to run around. They’re around the ages of 5 or 6 years old and I’m really glad I found this article.
I’ve been tasked with finding new shoes because my aunt is tired of replacing the new shoes she buys all the time (I keep telling her it’s the quality of the brands). The fact that you can WASH these shoes is a serious plus.
I was thinking about getting crocs but the only downside was that they’re not really sporty. Would you recommend crocs by the way? I was going to recommend both pairs because the PLAE ones seem like great all rounders whereas crocs seem like a great indoor shoe (my cousins like wearing shoes in the house).
But what would you recommend?I might recommend two pairs of PLAE shoes just because they seem so comfortable and more importantly, washable. How would you compare crocs to the PLAE brand of shoes? Any advice?
Hello Rhys,
Crocs and PLAE shoes are totally different types of footwear and serve very different purposes. Crocs are meant to be worn to the beach, walk around the house, or walk around the swimming pool, while PLAE sneakers are meant to run around all day.
I recommend Crocs as long as parents let their kids wear them for what they are meant to be worn, short periods of time and short distance walking. I actually wrote a post where I describe this in more detail called:
Crocs for Children – Is Your Child in Danger when Wearing Crocs?
I love the fact that the shoe is machine washable and stylish at the same time! I don’t have a local shoe store in my area so I always end up buying them online. You recommend Amazon to get kids shoes? What about shoes for myself? Also Amazon? Do they offer the best prices?
I found that Amazon offers the best prices for kids adult shoes. It is also a reliable retailer so you know what to expect from them. I always recommend to try to go to the shoe store to try the shoes on, but if you are sure about which shoe style and which shoe size to get for your child or yourself, then you can definitely get them online.
I wrote a post where I describe how to make sure you are getting your child the correct shoe size and you might find it helpful since you don’t have a children’s shoe store in your area. The post is called:
How Can I Make Sure my Kids’ Shoes Fit? – Learn the Secret Here!
My husband is always wanting to make sure our kids have good shoes because they can impact so much of their gait and body health. I have heard about this PLAE shoe brand before but wasn’t sure if it will fit my kids feet and how well they will hold up. Does Amazon provides the best prices? After reading your post we are ready to try them!
Hello Katie,
I have found that Amazon provides some of the best prices when it comes to kids shoes. PLAE shoes are great for kids since they are soft, flexible, and will fit children with wide feet!
I read this article a while back and got convinced to try these shoes for my son. He is hard to fit, since he has a very high instep and always complains about his shoes feeling too tight. I ordered one sneaker from the link provided below in the article.
Now having my son wear these shoes for over 2 months, I am amazed and at the same time very much satisfied with the quality of the shoes. My son loves to customize the shoes and says they feel really comfy. Thanks Juan!
Hello Tushar,
I am glad the shoes worked for your kids feet! It’s good to know that these shoes do fit in the wider side, and also will fit a child with a high instep. They also look pretty stylish!
My child has been wearing the PLAE shoe brand for three years straight now and loves them! They provide a roomy fit and look really stylish! He also loves customizing the shoes!
Could you recommend a shoe brand for kids with extra wide feet? One of my nieces has the widest feet and we can’t seem to find shoes that are wide enough for her feet!
When I need to fit a child with an extra wide foot in a pair of shoes, I normally choose the New Balance shoe brand. They tend to have the roundest, widest toe boxes. I wrote a post where I describe the best extra wide shoes for children, and you can find that post here:
Children Extra Wide Shoes – Prevent Blisters, Calluses, and Corns!
I can guarantee you that those shoes will fit your niece with extra wide feet!