Vans Shoes for Kids – Are They Good for Your Kids’ Feet?

Has your child been wanting a pair of Vans shoes? While these shoes are incredibly popular for older kids, they don’t offer the everyday support that your children’s feet and legs need to perform their everyday activities. The good news is that I have found a couple of Vans shoe styles that provide good structure and support, and I will show you these styles shortly.

Shoes play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet and legs healthy. If your child wears the wrong shoe size or the wrong shoe style your child might end up getting numerous foot issues such as blisters, calluses, and corns, as well as foot and leg pain.

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

I have been fitting children’s shoes for the last 10 years at a specialized children’s shoe store specializing in helping children with “complex” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fittings as well. We need to carry top-quality shoes that are available in different widths, as that is the only way we can guarantee to fit every single child.

When children look for shoes there are two things that they don’t like to compromise: comfort and style. While we want to keep your children happy and provide them with shoes that meet their fashion standards, you must never compromise the way that the shoes fit and the amount of support that they provide.

I have fitted certain Vans shoe styles that are more durable and supportive than others. However, I always explain to parents that Vans shoes are “fashion oriented shoes” instead of “functional shoes”.

If you have a really active child, you must provide him/her with a more substantial, supportive pair of shoes. You can still purchase your child a pair of Vans shoes, but I will strongly recommend getting your child another pair for his or her everyday activities.

If your child has been asking you for a pair of Vans shoes for a while now, I will provide you with a selection of the better-made, more supportive, and durable styles.

Before you decide to purchase a pair of Vans, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Are these shoes going to be comfortable and fit your child’s foot properly?

Chances are your child will want to wear the shoes for most of the day, either going to school or skateboarding, so you will want the shoes to fit correctly. Please keep in mind that if your kids have extra wide feet, they won’t be able to fit in these shoes. Vans shoes are capable of accommodating children with medium or wide feet only.

If you have a child with extra wide feet, take a look at a post I wrote where I describe the best shoes for children with extra wide feet:

Children Extra Wide Shoes – Prevent Blisters, Calluses, and Corns!

• Are these shoes going to offer the proper amount of support and stability for your child?

Vans shoes do not offer enough support or structure, as the shoes are made to be worn occasionally and for a maximum of 4 hours a day.

• Do Vans shoes offer good grip?

Yes, they do. It is hard enough to stay upright on a skateboard without having polished shoes that offer no grip.

• Will your kids be able to wear these shoes for their everyday activities?

No. As I mentioned before, these shoes are great as long as they are worn for what they are: fashion shoes. Your child should not wear these shoes for more than 4 hours a day.

Are You 100% Sure of Your Child’s Foot Size? – Let’s Find Out!

The most important factor is that you make sure that the shoes that you provide for your child fit properly. I always recommend to parents to take their children to be properly fitted for shoes at their local children’s shoe store, where a shoe fitter can properly measure their kids’ feet and find shoes that properly fit.

The issue is that most local children’s shoe stores have been closing down and we are left with big retailers such as Nordstrom’s or Payless, that have sales associates who are more focused on making a sale than finding the correct pair of shoes for your child.

Before I provide you with a selection of the best-fitting Vans shoes for children I want you to take a look at a resource I created that showcases the best-fitting kids’ shoe stores by state:

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

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

If you can’t still seem to find a shoe store in your area, then proceed to take a look at an article where I explain how to make sure your child is wearing the correct shoe size:

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.

Now that you know your child’s exact foot size, you are ready to see a selection of the best-fitting and better-made Vans shoes for children.

Vans shoes are available from toddler sizes up to teenage sizes. Please remember that Vans shoes are not meant to be your kids’ everyday shoes and that they are more fashion oriented than functional shoes.

Below you can find a selection of the best Vans shoes for kids that can fit children with medium or wide feet. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.

The Best Vans Shoes for Kids  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Almost every pair of Vans can be considered unisex!

What Shoe Size You Should Order?

In each of the descriptions of the shoes, I indicate whether you need to order a half size or a whole size bigger than your child’s current foot size to provide the correct amount of growing room.

Now you know which are the best Vans shoes for children, but if you are looking for a more substantial, supportive pair of shoes for your child, keep reading to find out which shoes are more suitable for your child to wear for his or her everyday activities.

Wearing the proper shoes goes a long way towards maintaining your kids’ feet and legs healthy.

What Type of Features Must an Everyday Shoe Provide for Your Child?

It is critical to provide children with supportive and well-fitted footwear to keep their feet and legs healthy. You should always look for shoes that provide good arch and ankle support, are that are sturdy —your child should always outgrow their shoes before they destroy them— and the shoes must provide good traction, as this helps prevent your child from slipping and falling.

When you provide your child with a pair of new shoes they must feel comfortable from the very first time that they try them in the store. A new shoe does not need to be “broken into”. If it does, then it is just not the right match for your child’s foot.

Take a look at a post I wrote where I describe the best everyday shoes for children:

Best Selling Shoes for Kids in 2023 – The Best Fitting, Supportive, and Affordable Styles

I have fitted all the shoe styles described in that post and I know what type of support and structure they will provide for your child’s feet. Most importantly, these shoes are available in different widths such as medium, wide, and extra wide!

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

Has your child been asking you for a pair of Vans shoes? Have you found a particular style that has worked well for his or her feet? Please share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.