The Best Summer Shoes for Toddlers – Crocs, Natives, Stride Rite, or Keen Sandals?

The summer shoes that you choose for your toddler play a key role in keeping their feet comfortable and healthy. During the summer season, toddlers develop most foot issues such as blisters. The best summer shoes for toddlers are made by the shoe companies Keen, Natives, Stride Rite, and Crocs. The big question is: Which one of these shoe brands should you provide for your toddler?

Crocs, Natives, Stride Rite, or Keen Sandals?

I have fitted sandals from all of the most popular shoe brands, and I came up with this conclusion:

➡️ Crocs and Natives are both extremely popular among young children, but they don’t provide any support or stability, and they might end up creating several issues with your toddler’s feet. The main issue with these two shoe brands is that they don’t come with any velcro closure that can hold the feet in place. Parents love how Natives look, but if you want to prevent your toddler’s feet from developing a foot issue, you might want to look for a different type of summer shoe.

➡️ Stride Rite and Keen sandals come with a stable base of support, and toddlers can wear them for longer periods of time. These two shoe brands also provide summer shoes with extra cushion and padding to prevent foot issues such as blisters.

Are Keen and Stride Rite Sandals the Best Summer Choice for Your Toddler?

➡️ Keen sandals are the best summer choice for toddlers who need a versatile sandal to play and run around for most of the day. They are practically indestructible, which means that if you leave the correct amount of growing room your toddler will wear them for the whole summer season  —you can even pass them down to a younger child.

➡️ Stride Rite sandals offer great versatility as well in terms of support and fit, since it manufactures sandals that are available in wide (W) and extra wide (XW). It is a fact that most toddlers tend to have wide or extra wide feet, so sandals that are capable of fitting wide or extra wide feet are extremely versatile.

Toddler’s Sandals – 5 Key Features for Healthy Feet

1️⃣ Stable Base of Support: This feature provides shock absorption and minimizes the impact that your toddlers’ feet take when they come in contact with the ground.

2️⃣ Good traction: This feature helps prevent your toddler from slipping and falling, especially when walking around wet surfaces.

3️⃣ Secure velcro closure: It’s important for the sandals to come with a velcro strap to hold your child’s feet in place, and prevent the feet from moving too much inside the sandals. This feature also allows your toddler to play and run around feeling more stable.

4️⃣ Quick Dry Technology: This feature allows the sandals to dry fast and prevent your toddler from walking around with wet feet.

5️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible: It’s important for the sandals to be supportive, but they must be lightweight and flexible at the same time to prevent your toddlers’ feet and legs from easily getting tired.

Best Summer Shoes for Toddlers – My Specific Sandal Recommendations

Make sure that you look at the description below the image of each sandal to check whether that style can fit the shape of your toddler’s 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.

Many of the sandals featured below come in several color options, so if you like a specific model, please make sure to click through and see if they have the desired color.

Boys

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• Order the sandal style Psyclone XLT1 by Teva on Zappos

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Eva foam footbed cushions and softly supports

• Rubber outsole for great traction

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Cyrus IV by See Kai Run on Amazon

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Water-friendly and machine washable

• Generous toe box and EVA molded footbed promotes healthy foot development 

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Newport H2 by Keen on Zappos

• Fits medium and wide feet

• This internal support mechanism is anatomically engineered to provide excellent arch support

• Machine washable

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Bare Steps H20 by Merrell on Zappos

• Available in medium and wide widths

• 100% Leather 

• 2 adjustable velcro straps for easy on and off

• Outsole with rounded edges to follow the natural shape of a child’s foot 

• Flexible grooves on the outsole for a barefoot feel 

• Order this sandal a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Jude IV by See Kai Run on Zappos

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Water-friendly and machine washable

• High heel design provides better support and helps with lateral movements

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Cyrus IV by See Kai Run on Zappos

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Water-friendly and machine washable

• Dual hook-and-loop straps allow for a secure fit and custom adjustability 

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style SRT Archie Sandal by Stride Rite on Amazon

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Fisherman sandals with hook and loop closure

• Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening and hook and loop closure

• Slip-resistant traction with sensory pod technology to help feel the ground underneath

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

Girls

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• Order the sandal style Hurricane XLT 2 by Teva on Zappos

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Eva foam footbed cushions and softly supports

• Rubber outsole for great traction

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Cyrus IV by See Kai Run on Amazon

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Water-friendly and machine washable

• EVA foam footbed cushions and softly supports for all-day comfort

• Dual hook-and-loop straps at back and instep allow for a secure fit and custom adjustability 

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Newport H2 by Keen on Zappos

• Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)

• This internal support mechanism is anatomically engineered to provide excellent arch support

• Machine washable

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Summer Time by Stride Rite on Amazon

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• 100% leather

• Padded heel collar for comfort

• Memory foam insole for enhanced comfort 

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Whitney by Stride Rite on Amazon

• Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)

• Lightly padded insole

• Waterproof leather and corrosion-resistant buckles make the shoes ideal for use in warm weather conditions

• Hook-and-loop with adjustable buckle closures for a secure fit

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Bare Steps Sandal by Merrell on Zappos

• Available in medium and wide widths

• 100% Leather 

• 2 adjustable velcro straps for easy on and off

• Outsole with rounded edges to follow the natural shape of a child’s foot 

• Flexible grooves on the outsole for a barefoot feel 

• I suggest that you get this sandal a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

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• Order the sandal style Billie FlexiRun Water by See Kai Run on Amazon

• Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)

• FlexiRun EVA foam outsole is ultra-lightweight and flexible with durable traction pattern for outdoor wear 

• Dual hook-and-loop straps allow for a secure fit and custom adjustability 

• Water-friendly and machine washable 

• I suggest that you get this sandal a half size larger than your child’s current foot size

What Shoe Size Should You Order?

Most sandals are not available in half sizes; they are available in whole sizes only. This factor will also play a key role in which size you will end up ordering for your toddler. Let’s take a look at a couple of different scenarios that will help you identify which sandal size to order for your toddler.

• If your toddler measures a foot size 5, you will order the size 6 and your toddler will still get the correct amount of growing room.

• If your toddler measures a foot size 5 ½, you will order the size 6 and your toddler will get the correct amount of growing room.

Are You Certain of Your Toddler’s Foot Size? – Let’s Find Out!

I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home.

Does Your Toddler Have Narrow Feet?

If you happen to have a toddler with narrow feet, you should take a look at a different article I wrote where I describe the best narrow sandals for toddlers.

Why is Your Toddler Developing Foot Issues During the Summer?

There are several reasons why toddlers are more prone to develop foot issues during the summer:

• Wearing sandals that are too stiff: Sandals should always be made of soft and comfortable materials.

• Excessive foot movement inside the sandals: The constant friction between the feet and the sandals can lead to blisters, calluses, and corns.

• The sandals are not drying fast enough: Walking around with wet feet for most of the day makes the skin soft and more prone to blisters.

Do You Need Specific Shoe Recommendations?

If you can’t seem to find a particular shoe for your toddler, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will help you find it:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com

Do you have a favorite summer sandal that you like to provide for your toddler? Share your thoughts in the comments section below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.