Are you looking for a pair of fall shoes for your child? Do you need a pair of shoes to keep your child’s feet warm during the fall season but that are breathable, supportive, and reasonable priced at the same time?
I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for the last ten years. We specialize in children with foot and leg problems, but we also provide regular shoe fittings as well. I have fitted thousands of shoes and I am familiar with which shoe brands and which shoe styles are better than others.
For the last three years, I have been helping parents find their kids’ shoes ONLINE.
Fall season is around the corner and in order to keep your child’s feet warm and healthy, you will need to provide your child with a pair of waterproof shoes.
This doesn’t mean that you need to spend a fortune in your kids’ shoes (specially considering that they will outgrow them after wearing them for 3 to 5 months).
I am always trying to explain to parents how higher priced shoes don’t automatically translate into better shoes for your child.
There are a couple of shoe styles that are my to-go styles for when fall season begins, and I will recommend them in this article.
Some parents prefer to provide their children with waterproof shoes for fall, while some others just prefer a warmer shoe made out of leather or suede.
Please keep in mind that I only review shoes that I have fitted before, since that is the only way for me to tell how the shoes fit and how well-made the shoes are.
The most common mistake I see parents make is to believe that once they figure out their children’s shoe size, that size will automatically translate into the shoe size that they need to purchase. Let me explain you why this is a huge mistake: Shoes can fit short, long, narrow, or wide, and depending on how they run you will have to adjust the size that you provide for your child.
Please keep in mind that if you don’t provide your child with the correct shoe size, he or she won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer. What’s even worse, you will end up creating all sot of foot issues such as blisters, calluses, and corns.
I always recommend parents to take their children to their local kids’ shoe store, where a shoe fitter can properly measure their feet and find shoes that FIT. The issue that most parents have is that they don’t have a local shoe store in their area and they MUST end up buying their kids shoes ONLINE. If this is your case also, please take a look at an article I wrote called:
How To Measure Kids Shoe Size From Home – In Less Than 30 Seconds
Now that you know about the importance of providing your child with the correct shoe size, let’s take a look at a selection of the best fall shoes for kids:
This first selection of shoes shows all waterproof shoes that are also breathable, meaning that they won’t make your child’s feet sweat. These shoes are great because your children can wear them to school in those rainy and cold days and their feet will stay warm and dry!
These waterproof shoe styles fit “true to size”, meaning that you need to provide your child with a “half a size longer” of the size that he or she measures in the shoe measuring scale (Brannock device) in order to allow for growing room.
This second selection of shoes are every day sneakers that are made of suede and a reinforced mesh which will keep your child’s feet warmer during those cold days. Please keep in mind that these shoe styles are NOT waterproof.
These shoe styles fit “true to size”, meaning that you need to provide your child with a “half a size longer” of the size that he or she measures in the shoe measuring scale (Brannock device) in order to allow for growing room.
Bear in mind that all of these shoe styles provide excellent support, meaning that they can be worn as every day shoes.
They come with a supportive sole that will minimize the impact that your child’s feet take every time they come in contact with the ground. The shoes also come with a firm heel counter that provides ankle support.
If you are not sure what the heel counter of the shoes is, take a look at the picture below for clarification:
These are the best fitting fall shoes that I have fitted through the years, and they will keep your child’s feet healthy as long as you get the correct size.
Keep in mind…
Some parents prefer to provide their kids with a pair of snow boots. For example, in the area where I live (Washington DC), we had snow in November. If you live in an area where it snows and you want to provide your child with a pair of snow boots, I wrote an article where I describe the best snow boots for children and you can find it here:
Kids Wide Snow Boots – The Best Snow Boots For Kids With Wide Or Extra Wide Feet!
You should always round up when purchasing a pair of boots for your child. For instance, if your child measures a foot size 6, you should get a size 7. If your child’s foot measures a size 6 1/2, you should consider getting the snow boot in a size 8. This might seem like a big size jump but the fact is that it’s okay to leave a little bit of extra growing room in the snow boots (as long as your child is not in the stage of learning how to walk).
Most snow boots (and seasonal footwear) are not available in half sizes, they are available in whole sizes only. Always leave enough growing room so your child’s can wear the boot for the whole season!
Let’s Not Forget About The Socks – Comfortable and Warm!
Socks are meant to protect the feet and act as a barrier against irritation and infection. The importance of wearing socks is clear, since they play an important role in keeping our kids’ feet healthy by preventing the formation and build up of bacteria inside the shoes.
During the fall season, socks play an important role in keeping your kids’ feet warm. There are certain socks that are made of merino wool, an ultra-soft, naturally anti-microbial, breathable material.
The socks that I will describe below will allow your feet to breathe. The socks should also cover your kids’ ankles, that way the shoes won’t rub against your kids’ ankles and create blisters.
Here you can find a selection of the best fall socks for children:
Now that you know which are the best fall shoes for kids (and socks), you are ready to make the most informative decision.
Have you tried any of these shoe styles before? Is there a particular shoe style that you will recommend for fall? Please share your thoughts and experiences below so other parents can benefit from them.
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