The Best Shoes for Toddler Girls – Supportive, Lightweight, Flexible, and Affordable!
Have you been looking for a pair of shoes to keep your daughter’s feet healthy at an affordable price? It’s important to provide your toddler with good shoes from an early stage to allow for healthy foot development and prevent future foot issues. I am going to show you a list of the best shoes for toddler girls that I have fitted at the shoe store where I work for.
Types of Shoes to Provide at the Walking Stage
The type of shoes that you need to provide for your toddler depends on your toddler’s current walking stage.
- If your toddler is still learning how to walk you need a pair of lightweight and flexible shoes and the support that the shoes provide is not a matter of concern.
- If your toddler is already walking then you need a pair of more substantial and supportive shoes to minimize the impact that your toddler’s feet take every time they come in contact with the ground. The shoes need to be lightweight and flexible at the same time.
Toddlers should go barefoot as often as possible to promote good balance, posture, and coordination. However, shoes play a key role in keeping their feet and legs healthy when you start taking them to play outside.
Are More Expensive Shoes Better for Your Toddler’s Feet?
More expensive shoes don’t automatically translate into better shoes for your toddler and they won’t guarantee to keep your toddler’s feet healthy. Toddlers outgrow their shoes at a very fast rate, between 3 to 4 months — as long as they are fitted with the correct amount of growing room. The shoes that I describe below are all made from high-quality materials, but they are also affordable.
Do Most Toddlers Have Wide Feet?
Keep in mind that most toddlers have wide or extra wide feet, so it’s important that you find shoes that provide rounder toe-boxes and extra depth.
The Importance of Wearing Shoes That FIT
If you don’t provide your toddler girl with the correct shoe size, you will defeat all the benefits that the shoes have to offer. This brings me to this next question: Are you 100% sure of your toddler’s foot size? Shoes that are too long, too short, too narrow, or too wide might lead to your toddler developing several foot issues such as ingrown toenails, bunions, calluses, and corns, just to name a few. I created a resource where I describe the best-fitting children’s local shoe stores by state.
How to Retrieve Your Toddler’s Shoe Size Online
I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home. In that resource I help parents determine their child’s exact foot length 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.
Is Your Toddler Walking or Learning How to Walk?
The shoes for a toddler who is learning how to walk are very different from shoes for a toddler who is already walking. I will make things easier and break this down for you in two different lists of shoe recommendations. 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.
Best Shoes for Toddler Girls Who Are Learning How to Walk
Most toddlers start to walk anywhere between 8 to 18 months of age. The first pair of shoes that you provide for your toddler plays a critical role in keeping your toddler’s feet and legs healthy.
- Order the shoe style SM Adalyn by Stride Rite on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Zips Runner by Stride Rite on Zappos
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Padded tongue and collar
- APMA approved
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Susie Mary Jane by See Kai Run on Amazon
- 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)
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Soft Motion Baby by Stride Rite on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Stevie II by See Kai Run on Zappos
- 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
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Thompson by Stride Rite on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite on Zappos
- 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
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Soft Motion Baby by Stride Rite on Amazon
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Over-sized opening for easy on/off
- APMA approved and built for first-time walkers
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Stevie II by See Kai Run on Zappos
- 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
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
Don’t stress out if it takes longer for your toddler to adjust to how her new shoes feel. Toddlers who are learning how to walk use their toes to grasp to the floor and feel more confident every time they take a step. When you fit toddlers for their first pair of shoes, they lose that sense they had to the ground, but they do receive important sensory information from the soles of their shoes.
Best Shoes for Toddler Girls Who Are Already Walking
As soon as your toddler starts feeling more stable and walking with confidence, you need to provide her with a pair of more substantial, and supportive shoes. This will help minimize the impact that their feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground. The shoes below are available in medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW).
- Order the shoe style RaveRun by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Lightweight injection-molded EVA foam midsole provides lightweight cushioning
- Hook and loop closure
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Robyne by See Kai Run on Zappos
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Breathable textile lining is effective in protecting your child’s feet from micro-organisms
- Hook and loop closure
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Rave Run V2 Hook by New Balance on Amazon
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Mesh upper for durability and comfort
- Extra deep
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 574 NEW-B by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Hook and loop closure system for easy on and off
- Synthetic/mesh upper
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Thompson by Stride Rite on Amazon
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Ortholite memory foam footbeds
- Opens super wide which makes in and out easy
- Recycled material linings to help reduce odor
- I suggest that you get this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Prder the shoe style Kya by See Kai Run on Zappos
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (accommodates high insteps)
- Leather and mesh upper
- Two adjustable hook-and-loop closures for easy on and off
- Padded tongue and collar for added comfort
- APMA approved
- Toe cap for extra durability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 574 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- No-sew overlays
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 574 New-b V1 by New Balance on Amazon
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Generous toe box and instep to accommodate and support your toddler walker’s needs
- Rubber outsole pods designed to stand up to daily wear and tear
- Extra deep
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Fresh Foam 650 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- No-sew overlays
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Ride 10 by Saucony on Amazon
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Velcro closure
- Leather and mesh upper
- Non-marking traction pods to help improve stability
- APMA approved
- Toe cap for extra durability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your baby’s current foot size
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a specific shoe style for your toddler girl. My email address is:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Is there a particular shoe that has worked well for your toddler girl? Kindly let us know in the comments section below so other parents can benefit from your findings.
Hello! I see come photos showing the Saucony Jazz Hook & Loop, but I can’t find anywhere if you recommend this style or not? My kids are 4 and 6 years old. Thanks!
Hello Julie,
Are you contacting me from the United States or a different country? The reason I ask is that certain shoes might only be available in certain countries.
I do recommend the Saucony Jazz. What specific shoe size are you looking for and what are your kids foot shapes (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide)?
United States! My daughter wears a size 8 wide. I’ve always used the new balance 680 shoes, but saw the Jazz were a bit cheaper. Not sure if there’s one that’s better than the other. Thanks for the help!
Hello Julie,
Both shoes are capable of accommodating wide feet and high insteps. Below you can find the Jazz available in a size 8 wide:
Amazon
Zappos
Let me know if you have any other questions.