The Best Kids’ Sneakers – Learn About the Best Shoes for Children Ages 3 Through 10

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User Comments - 22 comments

1. where can I find the shoe called Geox? My grand son (3yrs old) has weak ankles and falls a lot

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   1. Hello Lillie,

      There might be several reasons why your child keeps falling. Please make sure that the shoes that he is wearing are not too short or too narrow. If you can’t see the recommendations please refresh the webpage.

      Reply

2. My son loves Nike blue shoes (color is important :)). He is 10 size 6.
   Do you have any recommendations. He wants lace up. Thanks!!!

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   1. Hello Anne,

      There is a style called Revolution that is really good in terms of flexibility and support. I have fitted that shoe style before at the shoe store that I work for, just remember that Nike shoes are not the most supportive type of shoes. You can find that shoe here:

      Nike Shoes for Boys

      I hope this helps!

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3. Is there any reccomendation from Nike Brand shoes or Adidas? I bought my son new balance and because of the brand name, kids nowadays care about that, he won’t wear it.

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   1. Hello Dayanis,

      Did you buy him New Balance because he has wide or extra wide feet? What shoe width does your son wear? If you get back at me telling me his shoe size and his age I can help you find good Nike or Adidas sneakers.

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4. My 3 year old daughter LOVES Sketchers Litebeams. The only problem is she goes through one pair every 2 months. They are light, flexible and I think offer decent support, but they are SO cheap, she blows through them, mostly ripping up the toe area using them as a break when she rides scooters. She INSISTS on light up shoes. I’ve looked at Stride Rite and they don’t seem to have anything comperable to the Litebeams. Most of our local shoe stores don’t carry kids (at least not the shoe stores where you get knowledgable people to help you). I need a good shoe, light up variety that will last her more than 1-2 months.

   Thank you!

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   1. Dear Amanda,

      Most light up shoes are on the “fun side” and not as functional as parents want them to be. Children should always outgrow their sneaker before they destroy them, so you might want to start transitioning her into a more durable shor brand. If she is going to be riding her scooter and being rough on the shoes, there is a shoe brand called Geox which offers good supportive, well-made shoes. Be aware that they might not look as cool as the Skechers she is used to wearing. Here is an example of how they look like:

      Geox Girl Light Up Sneakers: Option 1

      Geox Girl Light Up Sneakers: Option 2

      Please let me know if you have any other questions!

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      1. Are there any Skechers for toddler boys that are supportive?

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         1. Hello Sarah,

            Some models are more supportive than others, but it depends on your son’s foot shape and whether you are looking for velcro or lace-up closure.

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5. Thank you for the article. Year after year we have problems before school begins finding shoes, not sneakers, that will fit properly. I used to be able to find Mary Janes that would fit my girls. They have a narrow heel and a normal toe area, just like me. It’s so hard they have to wear sneakers until I “happen upon” a pair of shoes. This school year, both girls are in women’s sizes. I can’t find anything! And any shoe that has any kind of comfort, is a hundred dollars! I really don’t know what to do. They will have to wear sneakers everywhere, since school requires them to have their toes and heels covered. Please give more information on the brands of shoes to try that are NOT sneakers. Thank you!

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   1. Hello Bee,

      I understand your frustration. First of all let me clarify that a girl’s shoe size 7 (which is the largest girl shoe size) equals to a women’s shoe size 8 1/2. Keep in mind that your girls are in women sizes once they reach a women’s shoe size 9 or up… I just want to make sure your girls are in actual women sizes.

      The reason why I mention this is that you will save a lot of money purchasing the kids version of the shoes instead of the women’s.
      You might want to look at this post for clarification:

      Women And Kids Shoe Size Conversion Chart – Save Big Buying Kids Shoes!

      If you can get back at me and clarify your girl’s actual shoe size it will be a great start. But here goes some advice:
      The BEST shoe brand for a child that has a wide toed-box but a narrow heel is called “NATURINO”. Have you tried this shoe brand for your girls before? The other shoe brand you should give a try is called “NINA”.

      I hope this helps! If you can get back at me with more details, I can probably be a little more specific.

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6. I knew it!! I love New Balance. I have a 4 year old son, and I will probably purchase KV888VI by New Balance that you recommended. Are there any other type of shoes that you recommend by New Balance?

   Right now, my son has NIKE, and Ninja Turtles Light Up sneakers. I often choose Nike shoes for my son as well. I wonder if there is any issues for those shoes. He really loves the Ninja Turtles shoes specifically for the characters and the lights. Recently, it is hard for me to make him wear the shoes that I like. You know, children start trying to assert their independence, around this age.

   Also, I’m interested in Geox. I have never heard about the brand. I wonder why shoe companies stopped making Velcro strap. Is it because of price, inconvenience, or taking time and effort?

   Thank you so much for the information. I will come back and find out which shoes I will get for my son.

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   1. Hello Ryubi,

      I recommend the 990v5 or 680V6 because it comes in all sort of different widths such as medium, wide, and extra wide. Below you can find some of the best sneakers made by New Balance:

      Boy New Balance: Option 1

      Boy New Balance: Option 2

      While we don’t have the Ninja Turtle style at the shoe store I work for, I have seen children wearing them. It is an ok shoe, but much less flexible than other styles. If your child is active, I would advise you to look for a different style.

      Geox makes top of the line shoes, great support, very breathable, a shoe that your child can wear every day!

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7. Recently, I began buying my daughter Asics shoes since she was diagnosed with onset Scoliosis. Up until then she preferred a very cheap brand of shoes and I could not get her to use the better brands.

   Since getting the better shoes, she complains that they hurt her knees, but her doctor says the Scoliosis is nearly detectable. We are working on the knee pains as a possible symptom of being used to shoes that were not supporting her gait.

   I will be looking into the Geox brand to see if we can purchase them locally. I like the look of those shoes and will hopefully keep working to find a good quality pair that my daughter likes too.

   You gave a very good review of each shoe and I have more information that I did not consider prior to reading your information. Thank you for bringing all to light for me.

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   1. Rita,

      Aiscs is top of the line when it comes to support and structure. Make sure she is stretching enough since that will help relieve some of the pain. Geox is also a great brand, just keep trying until you find a pair that works!

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8. Wow! I have been looking for information like this all over the place. We used to have a local shoe store in our area but it closed, so we don’t know where to take our children to have their feet measured. We went to the mall and the salesperson at Stride Rite didn’t know what he was doing.

   I ordered from your recommendations the pair of Asics for my son who has the narrowest feet and it fits him perfectly. My daughter has a high instep so we went for the Saucony pair. I bookmarked your page, you have pretty amazing info!

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   1. Darren,

      I am glad you found the website informative. Any time you have any specific question do not hesitate in contacting me. I know how hard it can be to find shoes without a local shoe store, and someone who can guide you throught the process of finding the right pair of shoes for your kids’.

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9. It was only after my children needed shoes that I realized how important it is to have the best possible fit. When I was a child my shoes were handed down from friends and relations. Is it bad for a child’s feet to wear hand me down shoes? Is foot health of primary importance when buying kids shoes? Also do is it always expensive shoes that are the best or are some of the cheaper brands just as good?

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   1. Margaret,

      Hand-me-down shoes must be avoided. The only time I feel they are appropriate is when we are passing down a pair of rain boots or a pair of snow boots. I understand that we are all trying to save money, but hand-me-down shoes will end up costing you a lot more money in the long run. You should read one of my posts I wrote about hand-me-down shoes: Second Hand Shoes For Kids – Stop Hurting Your Child’s Feet

      To answer your next question, in order to have healthy feet, we must provide our children with the right type of shoes. The shoes that we all wear play a key role in keeping our feet, legs, and back healthy.

      When it comes to shoes, you don’t need to invest more money in order to get more support and structure out of the shoe. Here is another post that you will find useful since it describes the best shoes for kids’ and how price is irrelevant: The Best Kids Sneakers – Learn About The Best Shoes For Children Ages 3 Through 10

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10. I’ve never considered buying these type of shoes for my daughters though I always spend good money on their footwear. Both my daughters have large feet and grow at unbelievably fast rates so go through shoes quickly. I’ll have to bookmark your site and come back to check it when buying shoes next time.

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    1. Leone,

       There is a certain amount of growing room we can leave for kids’ to grow into their shoes, if we decide to leave a little bit of extra space for the shoes to last longer, we can end up compromising our kids’ stability. Come back anytime and please let me know if you have any questions.

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