Soft Sole Shoes for Babies – The Best Shoes for Your Baby That is Learning How to Walk!
There has been a lot of controversy on whether babies should wear soft sole shoes or hard sole shoes. One of the most popular questions I get asked at the children’s shoe store that I work for is whether a baby that is learning how to walk needs a pair of soft sole shoes or a pair of hard sole shoes? I am going to show you a list of the best soft sole shoes for babies based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
While there has been a lot of back and forth between what type of shoes a baby that is learning how to walk should wear, I always recommend choosing a soft sole shoe until the baby starts walking. Parents need to understand that not all baby shoes are made the same, as some of them are going to make the whole process of learning how to walk a lot easier for your baby.
Do Most Babies Have Wide Feet?
I have noticed that most babies who are learning how to walk need a wide or an extra wide shoe. That is the reason why the shoes that I recommend are available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW).
It’s important to understand that babies learn to take their first steps by gripping their toes on the ground, and certain baby shoes provide sensory pods on the sole which allows the baby to get a better sense of the ground when taking those first steps. I always explain to parents that it’s okay to leave their babies barefooted at home to promote healthy and natural foot development.
So, when should you provide your baby with his or her first pair of shoes?
As soon as you decide to take your baby outside where surfaces might be uneven, hot, cold or rocky, shoes should be worn for protection purposes mostly.
If we provide a baby that is learning how to walk with a pair of hard sole shoes you will make the learning process much more difficult. A baby that is learning how to walk doesn’t have the strength to bend a shoe that has a harder sole or that is not flexible enough.
I want to clarify that I am not saying that soft sole shoes are better than hard sole shoes, I believe that you must choose the correct type of shoes —with a soft or hard sole— depending on the walking phase that your baby is going through.
Based on my experience, I can tell you with confidence that a baby that is learning how to walk needs a pair of soft sole shoes.
I will show you a selection of the best soft sole shoes for babies shortly, but first I want to explain to you the difference between a soft sole shoe and a hard sole shoe.
Soft Sole Shoes VS Hard Sole Shoes – Which One to Choose?
There are two opposing opinions on which type of shoes a baby that is learning how to walk should wear. To me it’s very clear, a baby that is learning how to walk should always wear a soft sole shoe. I have fitted hundreds of babies that were learning how to walk, and I have seen what works from actually trying the shoes on and watching how the baby reacts to them.
I have noticed how a soft sole shoe allows babies to feel the ground and find better balance when walking or running.
I believe that for a baby that is learning how to walk there is such a thing as a shoe with too much structure. If a baby wears a heavy shoe that comes with a built-in arch, a heavy sole, and a firm heel counter, your baby won’t need to use his or her own muscles to find balance, and strength is diminished. The feet will rely too much on the strength of the shoe, which will hinder the development of muscles in your babies’ feet and ankles.
Hard sole shoes are more appropriate for children who are already walking and running as they come with more structure and support, minimizing the impact that the child’s feet take when it comes in contact with the ground. A hard sole shoe also helps provide more protection from harmful objects such as rocks, especially when your baby is playing outside.
To summarize, soft sole shoes must be used when a baby is learning how to walk, and hard sole shoes must be used when the child is already walking and running and is putting more pressure on the feet.
Soft Sole Shoes – What Features Should They Provide?
Let’s take a look at what features the soft sole shoes that I recommend provide:
1️⃣ The shoes are lightweight and flexible to promote and support natural foot movement.
2️⃣ The shoes are made of quality materials such as leather or mesh to allow your child’s feet to breathe comfortably.
3️⃣ The shoes provide good traction by having rubber soles that prevent slipping or sliding.
While these are all important features that your baby’s shoes must provide, if you don’t provide your baby with the correct shoe size, your baby won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer. What’s even worse, you will end up creating all sorts of foot issues for your baby’s feet such as blisters, calluses, and corns.
I always recommend parents take their babies to their local children’s shoe store where a shoe fitter can properly measure their feet and find shoes that fit. However, I have been contacted by several parents that told me how they don’t have a local shoe store in their area and must buy their babies’ shoes online.
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape
If you are one of these parents, take a look at a post I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to make sure your child is wearing the correct shoe size. 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.
Now that you know what features we want to find in a soft sole shoe and how to make sure your child is wearing the correct shoe size, let’s take a look at a selection of the best soft sole shoes for babies.
Just so you know, I only review shoes that I have fitted before, because that is the only way I can be familiar with how well-made the shoes are and how they fit. 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 Soft Sole Shoes for Babies
The shoes I describe below are the best fitting shoes for a baby that is learning how to walk, and they are available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW). Just choose your baby’s shoe width “M” for medium, “W” for wide, and “XW” for extra wide.
Boys
- Shoe style SRT SM Artie by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Rounded edges to decrease stumbles and falls
- APMA approved and built for first-time walkers
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style 2510 Racer by Tsukihoshi
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Heel stabilizer provides lateral stability
- Removable insoles
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your baby’s foot size (shoe fits long)
- Shoe style Wes by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Seamless construction cradle the baby’s natural shape
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SM Adamby Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Seamless construction cradle the baby’s natural shape
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles
- Foam padding placed around the ankle collar and under the tongue for an incredibly comfortable fit and feel
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Stevie II by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Rubber outsole is flexible yet durable and provides the needed traction for first steps
- Padded heel and tongue keeps the baby’s feet comfortable
- Wide openings make on and off quick and easy
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Martin by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Seamless construction cradle the baby’s natural shape
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles
- Oversized opening and pull tab on the back offer easy on and off
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Kennedy by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Seamless construction that cradles the foot’s natural shape
- APMA approved
- Oversized opening for easy-on
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SM Zip Runner by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
Girls
- Shoe style SM Adalyn by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Zips Runner by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Padded tongue and collar
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Susie Mary Jane by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Black patent leather upper with full leather lining and insole
- Awarded the Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Soft Motion Baby by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Stevie II by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Rubber outsole is flexible yet durable and provides the needed traction for first steps
- Padded heel and tongue keeps the baby’s feet comfortable
- Wide openings make on and off quick and easy
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Thompson by Stride Rite
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Flexible, rounded, slip-resistant soles encourage natural motion and help improve balance
- APMA approved
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style Soft Motion Baby by Stride Rite
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Over-sized opening for easy on/off
- APMA approved and built for first-time walkers
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Shoe style StevieII by See Kai Run
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Rubber outsole is flexible yet durable and provides the needed traction for first steps
- Padded heel and tongue keeps the baby’s feet comfortable
- Wide openings make on and off quick and easy
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
Now that you know which are the best fitting shoes for a baby that is learning how to walk you are ready to make the most informed decision. But before you leave, I want to make sure that you provide your baby with the correct type of socks, as socks play a key role in keeping your baby’s feet healthy.
What Are the Best Socks for Babies?
Socks act as a barrier between your babies’ feet and the shoes and they prevent the formation of bacteria inside the shoes as well as the formation of blisters, calluses, and corns. They also help prevent your baby’s feet from sweating excessively.
There is a type of sock feature that works great when it comes to keeping your baby’s feet comfortable. Have you ever heard of seamless socks? They are great because they don’t constrict toe movement and they allow your babies’ toes to move freely inside the socks. Babies move their toes as a way of exercising their feet, so it’s important that we don’t constrict this movement.
Looking for Other Shoe Recommendations? – Get a Personalized Suggestion
Let me know if you are looking for your baby’s first pair of walking shoes to be made of a specific color or a specific material and I will help you find them:
Have you found a particular shoe style that has worked well for your baby who is learning how to walk? Please share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.
