Slip On Shoes for Wide Feet – The Best Slip On Shoes for Kids with Wide or Extra Wide Feet!
Have you been looking for a pair of slip-on shoes for your child with wide feet? Do you feel like every time you try a slip-on shoe your child complains that it feels too tight? There are only a few slip-on shoes that are capable of accommodating the shape of a child’s wide feet, but the good news is that I will help you find them.
If you are in a rush, you can go directly to the selection of slip on shoes for wide feet.
Shoes that are too narrow will make your child uncomfortable and they will also lead to several foot issues such as blisters, calluses, and corns.
One common mistake that I see parents make when their kids complain about the shoes feeling too tight is trying a larger shoe to compensate for the width. Please stop doing this as you will end up compromising your children’s stability and making them more prone to falling and hurting themselves.
What Makes the Slip-On Shoes I Recommend Effective for Wide Feet?
1️⃣ The slip-on shoes I recommend provide extra depth, which is going to allow your children’s feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevent the top part of their feet (instep) from rubbing against the top part of the shoes.
Let me show you the difference between one of the slip-on shoes I recommend and a different style. These shoes are the same size, but as you can see they will fit the shape of a child’s wide foot very differently. Do you notice how the slip-on shoe on the right is a lot deeper compared to the slip-on shoe on the left?
2️⃣ The slip-on shoes also provide rounder toe-boxes, to help prevent your kids’ toes from overlapping or rubbing against one another. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:
I always emphasize to parents that they won’t be able to provide their kids with the same amount of growing room in a slip-on shoe as they would in any other type of shoe. The main reason for this is that slip-on shoes don’t come with any type of closure to hold your child’s feet in place.
Slip-on shoes provide several advantages and the most popular one is how they allow your children to easily put the shoes on and take them off by themselves. I will provide you with a selection of the best kids’ slip-on shoes for wide feet shortly, but first, let me show you what features the slip-on shoes I recommend provide.
Slip-On Shoes for Wide Feet – The 3 Most Important Features!
The feature that parents love the most about slip-on shoes is how it gives children the independence to put the shoes on and take them off by themselves.
One thing I want you to consider is that slip-on shoes are not meant to be worn as everyday shoes. The main reason is that they don’t provide the same amount of support or stability as regular sneakers do, so I always recommend parents limit their children to wear them for a maximum of 4 hours a day and then switch back to their sneakers.
These are the 3 most important features that the slip-on shoes I recommend provide:
1️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: The heel counter of the shoe is the back part of the shoe that provides ankle and heel support, and the firmer it is the better.
2️⃣ Good traction: The outsole of the shoe must provide good support and traction, so your kids can feel stable and secure when walking or running around.
3️⃣ Flexibility: Flexible shoes prevent the child’s feet to not get tired easily when walking or running around.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best slip-on shoes for wide feet. 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 Slip-On Shoes for Wide Feet
I only write reviews of shoes that I have fitted before, otherwise, I wouldn’t know how well-made they are, the amount of support that they provide, and how they fit.
Toddler Shoe Sizes (0 to 10)
- Shoe style Playgruv by New Balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Synthetic mesh upper for breathability and comfort
- Bootie upper construction hugs your child’s feet for a snug, supportive fit
- Slip-on design for easy on and off
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s foot size
- Shoe style Aqua Drift V1 by New Balance
- Fits medium and wide feet
- FlexiRun EVA foam outsole is ultra-lightweight and flexible
- Removable recycled mesh sockliner allows air movement and keeps feet fresh
- Machine washable and water-friendly
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s foot size
- Shoe style Sr Walker by Stride Rite
- Available in wide widths
- Slip on with elastic twin gore for easy on/off
- Ortholite Memory foam for enhanced comfort
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s foot size
- Shoe style Sr Walker by Stride Rite
- Available in wide widths
- Slip on with elastic twin gore for easy on/off
- Ortholite Memory foam for enhanced comfort
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s foot size
Little and Big Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Shoe style Playgruv v2 by New Balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Alternative closure features a gore band across the instep for easy on and off
- Synthetic and mesh upper
- Ground Contact EVA outsole with rubber pods
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Casual by Nautica
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Vegan Leather
- Supportive and lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Flex-Groovin by Skechers
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Stretch-Fit with 4 Way Stretch
- Air-Cooled Memory Foam
- Machine washable and water-friendly
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Hut Moc 2.0 by Merrell
- Available in medium widths
- Cushy memory foam footbed for comfort
- Contoured cushion heel
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Hut Moc 2.0 by Merrell
- Available in medium widths
- Soft EVA molded footbed for all day cushioning and comfort
- Knit upper for superior comfort
- Machine washable and water-friendly
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Ultra Flex 3.0 by Skechers
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Heel pillow holds your child’s foot securely in place
- Skechers Air-Cooled Memory Foam cushioned comfort insole
- Stretch Fit design for sock-like comfort
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
What Shoe Size You Should Order?
In each of the descriptions of the shoes, I indicate whether you need to order a half size or a whole size bigger than your child’s current foot size to provide the correct amount of growing room.
Find Out Your Child’s Foot Size
You won’t be able to order the correct shoe size online if you don’t know your child’s foot size is to begin with.
I always recommend parents take their children to their local fitting children’s shoe store that they trust, the issue is that most fitting stores have been closing down and parents need to end up buying their kids’ shoes online. There is nothing wrong with this, but you must know your child’s exact foot size to know what size to order.
To this end, I created a resource that showcases the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state.
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape
If after looking at that resource you still can’t seem to identify a shoe store in your area, then proceed to take a look at an article I created that describes 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 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.
Are Your Child’s Feet Slipping Out the Shoes?
Keep in mind that 50% of the time I fit a child in a pair of slip-on shoes I end up fitting a tongue pad inside the shoe to prevent the heel from slipping off the shoes. A tongue pad is an adhesive-backed pad that is placed in the tongue of the shoe and pushes the kids’ heels back to secure them against the back of the shoe.
If your children are complaining about their shoes slipping off, start by trying a tongue pad. Your child will notice a difference right away. While I can’t get into too much detail about which are the best tongue pads for shoes there is another article I wrote where I describe them in more detail.
Now that you know which are the best wide slip-on shoes for children you are ready to make the most informed decision.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my email if you have any further questions or if you need a different pair of shoes for your child. My email address is:
Have you found a particular slip-on shoe that has worked well for your child’s wide feet? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
