The Best Ballet Shoes for Girls – The Most Comfortable Shoe for Your Ballerina

Are you having a hard time finding a pair of ballet shoes for your ballerina? Choosing the right ballet shoes is important for your child to perform at her best and experience overall foot comfort. The golden rule of dance shoes is comfort whatever the style of dance is. I have put together a selection of the best ballet shoes for girls that are comfortable and capable of fitting girls with narrow, medium, or wide feet.

A ballet shoe is also known as a ballet slipper; this is a lightweight shoe that is created specifically for ballet dancing or modern dance. It can be made from leather, satin or canvas and they look like a reinforced pair of socks.

Although buying ballet shoes might seem pretty straightforward, there are a lot of different attributes that we must take into consideration to choose the right style.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes – Over a Decade of Shoe Fitting Experience!

I have been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for the last 10 years at a specialized children’s shoe store that focuses on helping children with “complex” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fittings as well.

It can be confusing for parents to choose the correct type of ballet shoes as there is a vast selection of dance shoes available. I am going to make things easier for you and show you the best ballet shoes for girls.

Providing your child with a ballet shoe that fits the shape of her feet perfectly is essential to ensure that your kids give their best performance.

Before I show you a selection of the best ballet shoes for girls, I want to first show you what features the ballet shoes I recommend provide.

If you are the parent of a ballerina, you probably know by now that nothing is more exciting to them than getting that beautiful ballerina outfit, including their new pair of ballet shoes.

The ballet shoes that I recommend are made out of leather and they feature a lightly padded footbed, suede outsole for maximum flexibility, and a pre-attached elastic strap to keep your child’s foot snug and in place.

The shoes also offer extra support, which is recommended for beginners since it encourages the foot to work harder to achieve en-pointe.

I only write reviews of shoe styles 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. Without further ado let’s take a look at the best ballet shoes for girls. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.

The Best Ballet Shoes for Girls ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Below you can find a selection of the most popular and better-made recommended ballet shoes for your child that come in narrow, medium, and wide widths, so please choose the shoe width accordingly. 

All of these styles are the best-selling and most recommended ballet shoes for kids. You should always ask the ballet instructor what she thinks of the ballet shoes that you chose for your child and make sure the instructor approves.

To order the correct ballet shoe size online, you need to be 100% sure of what your child’s foot size is to begin with.

I always recommend parents take their children to their local children’s shoe store that they trust. The issue is that most 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.

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

I created a resource that showcases the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state:

The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores in the United States – Where To Go for Proper Fittings

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:

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.

Ballet Shoes for Girls – The 5 Most Important Factors to Consider!

The first, and most important thing to consider when buying ballet shoes is the fit. This also applies to every single pair of shoes that you buy for your child. The fit will always remain the top priority.

1️⃣ Fit — For ballet slippers and shoes in general, the single most important factor is fit. The shoe should fit like a sock or glove without puckers or extra material to pinch at the tip of the shoe. The shoe shouldn’t be too snug or binding to curl the toes inside the shoe or squeeze the ball of the foot.

Because children’s feet are still developing we need to make sure we get the best fit possible so the child can perform at her best, and allow the instructor to catch and correct your little ballet dancer’s stance.

A ballet slipper that is too long might compromise your child’s stability, making her more prone to slipping and falling. Imagine wearing a sock that is too long, it might bunch up and make your child more prone to stepping on it and falling.

2️⃣ Type of fabric — Before you choose a ballet shoe for your child, you should check the fabric from which the ballet shoe is made of. The vast majority and most popular ballet shoes are made from leather and canvas. The ballet shoes made from leather will usually hold up much longer than the ones made from other fabrics, but they will be more expensive than the rest of the choices (we are talking about a 5 dollar difference at most).

3️⃣ Consider the elastics — Most ballet shoes come with elastics included, but they may not be attached, this is because every dancer has slightly different shaped feet which means that the elastics need to be in a somewhat different position. This is why I always recommend trying the shoes at your children’s local shoe store, and have your child walk around the store to make sure that the shoes fit and that they feel comfortable on your kid’s feet.

4️⃣ Consider the colors — Ballet shoes come in various colors; girls always tend to go for pink, but always make sure to follow the instructions for classroom uniforms.

5️⃣ Consider the price — In general, ballet shoes are among the least expensive dance shoes. As a little dancer’s feet grow, new shoes will be needed every time she grows and you may be tempted to go for the cheapest shoes possible, but keep in mind that these could be poorly constructed and become a liability.

If you decide to get your child a pair of ballet shoes, please have your child walk around the house in her ballet shoes and make sure that they are comfortable before going to the dance class. Is there enough room for the toes to wiggle around?

We want enough space for the toes to move around the shoe comfortably but not too much space that will compromise your child’s stability. If the toes are jammed into the end of the shoe, then you need to go for a bigger size.

You can now choose the best and better-made ballet shoes for your little girl with ease!

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

Does your child already own a pair of ballet shoes? Is there any particular brand or style that has worked better for her feet? Please share your thoughts below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.