What are the Best Volleyball Court Shoes for Kids?

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated and revised for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects up-to-date information on what are the best volleyball court shoes for kids?

One of the most common questions parents ask me is whether their children should play volleyball with actual volleyball shoes or if they can get away with wearing a pair of their everyday sneakers? The answer depends on how often your child plays volleyball and the level of competition. With that said, I usually recommend providing children with actual volleyball shoes as they provide a measure of protection to your child’s feet and legs.

If you were thinking of sending your child out to play volleyball in his/her everyday shoes, you might want to think again. The correct types of volleyball shoes won’t make your child a better volleyball player, but they will help enhance your child’s athletic ability and ensure time on the court is comfortable.

I have put together a list of the best volleyball court shoes for kids, and I will show you this list shortly. The volleyball shoes that I recommend can also accommodate different foot shapes such as narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes

I have worked for a specialized children’s shoe store for many years (over 10 years of shoe fitting experience). The shoe store specializes in helping children with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems.

I have helped hundreds of children find the perfect pair of sport shoes for their feet, and I believe I will be able to help your child as well. Over the years, I became familiar with the best volleyball court shoes for kids.

What Makes the Volleyball Shoes that I Recommend Ideal for Playing Volleyball?

Good volleyball shoes provide maximum support where players need it most, the sides of their feet and ankles. The volleyball shoes that I recommend help support your child’s feet by providing targeted cushion and support on the landings of every jump.

✅ Supportive Outsole: The outsole of the volleyball shoes that I recommend helps attenuate the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take when they come in contact with the ground. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:

✅ Firm Heel Counter with Targeted Heel Support: This feature helps support and protect your kids’ heels and ankles. Shoes with firm heel counters provide lateral stability and help protect the child’s ankles from side-to-side cuts.

The volleyball shoes that I recommend provide targeted support right below the heels. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:

✅ Extra Cushion around the Toe-Box Area: Jumping is the most repeated skill by volleyball players. The volleyball shoes that I recommend help absorb shock every time your child’s feet become in contact with the floor. When jumping, children take off from their toes, and land on their toes. This is why it’s so important to have extra cushion and support around the toe area.

✅ Good Traction: The volleyball shoes that I recommend provide a gum rubber outsole material. This is a really important feature as volleyball shoes with good traction help keep your child’s feet from sliding around on the court.

Shoes that provide these four important features will help reduce the risk of injury such as rolling an ankle or awkwardly turning over a foot.

What are the Best Volleyball Shoe Brands for Kids?

These are the most popular volleyball shoe brands for kids:

• Asics
• Adidas
• Mizuno

Which one of these 3 shoe brands will work best for your child directly depends on your child’s actual foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep).

Can Volleyball Shoes Fit Children with “Complicated” Foot Shapes?

Children’s feet come in all different shapes and sizes. For example, do you know whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? Do you know if your child has a high instep? Your child’s foot shape helps determine what specific volleyball shoes will work best for him/her.

It is a fact that children with narrow or extra wide feet have a harder time finding shoes for their feet.

I suggest that you take your child to be fitted for shoes at your local shoe store. However, if you don’t have a specialized children’s shoe store close in your area, I suggest that you take a look at the resource below. In the article below I help parents determine their children’s exact foot length and shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep):

How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width

Let’s now take a look at the best volleyball court shoes for kids. The volleyball shoes that I recommend provide a combination of lightweight flexibility, support and durability. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.

The Best Volleyball Court Shoes for Kids ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Take a look at the description below the image of each shoe to check whether that specific shoe style can fit the shape of your child’s feet.

What Shoe Size Should You Order?

This volleyball shoe fits “short”, which means that you need to get a whole size longer (3/8 of an inch or 0.8 centimeters) than the size that your child measures in the standard shoe measuring scale (Brannock device) to allow for growing room.

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What Shoe Size Should You Order?

This volleyball shoe fits “short”, which means that you need to get a whole size longer (3/8 of an inch or 0.8 centimeters) than the size that your child measures in the standard shoe measuring scale (Brannock device) to allow for growing room.

Make sure that you don’t attempt to leave extra growing room inside the shoes. This can lead to your child’s feet moving excessively inside the shoes which can compromise your child’s stability and create foot issues such as blisters, calluses, and corns.

Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?

Let me know if you are having a hard time finding your child’s shoe size or if your child’s volleyball shoes need to be made of a specific color. You can ask your question in the comment section below or email me at:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com 

Are These Volleyball Shoes Durable?

The volleyball shoes that I recommend are all constructed of more leather and less mesh, which makes the shoes more durable. It’s highly likely that your child will outgrow these shoes before they get worn out.

Can I Provide my Child with a Pair of Regular Sneakers Instead?

I understand that it’s hard for most families to spend money on a sport-specific shoe, especially for a growing child.

You can try a pair of quality cross-trainer shoes instead of one that is specifically designed for volleyball. There are some cross-training shoes that your child can wear as his/her everyday sneakers and volleyball as well. The shoes must be made of supportive materials and an extra grippy outsole.

I have created a different article where I describe the best cross training shoes for kids:

Cross Training Shoes for Kids – Get One Shoe that Works for Most Activities

The Final Fitting

Providing your child with a good pair of volleyball shoes is one of the best ways you can prevent injuries and allow your child to play comfortably on the court.

Volleyball shoes provide several features that help children perform at their best. Remember that jumping is the most repeated skill by volleyball players, so the shoes must provide supportive outsoles and excellent traction to prevent your child from slipping and sliding, which is essential to avoiding injury.

I don’t suggest that children wear their volleyball shoes as their everyday sneakers as they should only be worn on the gym floor. Concrete and asphalt will quickly wear the soles out.