We all want the best for our children and shoes are no exception. If your child has wide feet, you will want the best children’s shoes for wide feet to ensure that your child has room to grow and is comfortable.
Pinched toes not only will cause pain and injury, but can affect the growth of their feet as well. Unfortunately, wide shoes are not always the easiest thing to find, especially in children’s shoes.
Most children’s shoes do not indicate a width, making it difficult to sort out which shoes might actually work. We have some suggestions to help you with that, however.
Understanding Kids Shoes Sizes
To understand kids’ shoe sizes, we are going to break it down for you.
- Toddler: Toddler sizes are when your child will first start to wear shoes. They run from size 0 1o 13. They are usually marked with a ‘T’ after to indicate that they are toddler shoes.
- Kids: After toddler is kids sizing, which run from size 1 to 7. There is often confusion with these sizes, because they are sometimes labelled “big kids,” but are not the same as adult sizing. You should be able to identify by look whether a shoe is meant for toddler or kid.
Size charts are going to be the best helper when determining the right sizes for your child, because you can just the actual dimensions of your child’s feet, including wide feet sizing, but not all size charts include width. You will need to know ahead of time whether the shoes accommodate wide feet.
10 Best Children's Shoes For Wide Feet (2022)
Brand | Quality | Gendre | Rating | Check Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Native Shoes Jefferson Editor's Choice | High | Boys/Girls | 100% | |
2. Adidas Ultimafuture Boys Running Shoes | High | Boys | 99% | |
3. Adidas Duramo 9 Girls Running Shoes | High | Girls | 99% | |
4. Croc Kids' Classic Crocs | Medium - High | Boys/Girls | 97% | |
5. Adidas Grand Court | High | Boys/Girls | 98% | |
6. SouthBrothers Sneakers | Medium | Girls | 93% | |
7. UBFEN Kids' Shoes Water Shoes | Medium | Boys/Girls | 94% | |
8. Nike Kids Runner 2 For Sporty Kids | High | Boys/Girls | 98% | |
9. Nike Revolution 4 Durable | High | Boys/Girls | 99% | |
10. Converse Chuck Taylor Converse | High | Boys/Girls | 97% |
1. Native Shoes-Jefferson Wide Shoes For Kids
Best Kid's Shoes For Wide Feet (Editor's Choice)
Our choice for the best children’s shoes for wide feet is Native Shoes. Native is an incredibly popular brand of shoes for children and for good reasons.
Design
Native Shoes are lightweight and come in a white variety of colors and sizes. They have holes throughout them for good ventilation as well as durable rubber soles.
They are trendy and popular, in part due to their fun and simple design. Since they are simple to put on, they will fit a child with wide feet easily, stretching as needed.
Features
There are a lot of great features with the Native Shoes. To begin with, the shoes themselves are slip-on, which is handy when it comes to wrangling on a child.
Because of their rubber material, they are easy to clean and dry very quickly. They make great water shoes as well, if you are looking for a pair that can survive some water play as well.
They will not rub your child’s feet and cause blisters, however, because the material is a more textured kind of rubber that should not result in abrasions, provided you have ordered the right size.
As an added bonus, they are comfortable for your child to wear as well, so you should not get any complaints from them about comfort. Even in hot weather, these shoes will not hold an odor, making them the perfect overall choice.
2. Adidas Ultimafuture Running Shoes For Wide Feet
Boys Running Shoes
If you are looking for the best boys’ running shoe for wide feet, take a look at the Adidas Ultimafuture Running Shoe. This shoe combines the well-known durability of Adidas with a shape that accommodates wider feet.
Design
The design of the Ultimafuture show is all about comfort. The sole is synthetic and rubber, while the lining is a textile.
The rubber sole makes adds to the shoe’s comfort while supplying more cushion while walking. The shoe comes in several colours as well, so you will have lots of choice to make the shoes more personal.
Features
Looking at the features of the Ulitmafuture, the shoes come with a lace closure with soft, flexible laces. This will allow the shoes to be a little looser for wider feet.
The laces are not entirely necessary for wide feet, since the knit shoe will stretch around the feet. Additionally, there is a 0-3 inch boot opening, which means that it will stretch to go around wider feet much easier than other shoes do.
The only downside to these shoes is that while the rubber sole is comfortable, it will not hold up well against the wear and tear of highly active children who are normally more destructive with their shoes. If your child is less active, the shoes will hold up much longer.
3. Adidas Kids’ Duramo 9 Running Shoe For Wide Feet
Girls Running Shoes
This is another hit from Adidas, providing a great level of quality with the right fit for children with wider feet.
Design
The design of the Duramo 9 is a more traditional running style. It looks like an athletic upper with the more standard mesh upper.
The shoe comes in a variety of colours, allowing your child to really get something that feels more customized or personal to their needs. The outsole of the shoe is synthetic with a rubber sole.
Features
The Duramo 9 as a lot of nice comfort features, including the Cloudform Midsole for step-in comfort. What this is really referring to is the high level of cushioning that comes with these shoes. There is also an Adiwear outsole that provides you with high-wear durability.
This means that the shoes should hold up against the most extreme wear and tear. The best feature might be that the opening is 6-12 inches, ensuring foot width will not be a problem.
The only downside that we found with these shoes is there is some confusion over whether they have Velcro or laces. It appears they are intended to have a lace closure, but you should double check when you order.
4. CROC Children's Shoes For Wide Feet
Crocs
If you are looking more for CROC shoes for wide feet, we suggest the Classic Clogs. You cannot go wrong with the iconic design that has been proven to be excellent since it first came into popularity.
Design
The Classic Clogs have the design that CROC shoes are best-known for. This means that they have a closed-toe with a sling back. They are made up of Croslite, which is a waterproof, synthetic material.
They come in every colour imaginable and are also the same design regardless of whether you are looking at children’s shoes or adult shoes. They also have the option to add on Jibbitz charms to the holes across the toe of the shoe for an even more customized appearance.
Features
CROC Classic Clogs are incredibly light and easy to wear. The shoes are meant to be comfortable to wear, but are also easy to put on and to take off, which is ideal for children. They are also simple to clean, since you just need to hose them down and let them dry.
The ventilation holes make it easy for them to dry. Unfortunately, the ventilation holes also let in sand and dirt, which will cause discomfort on your child’s feet.
The Classic Clog is the ultimate water shoe as they are meant to take water, allowing you to keep your child’s feet protected from the ground.
5. Adidas Kids’ Grand Court Sneaker
Another great choice for children with wide feet is the Adidas Grand Court Sneaker. These are in the more classic Adidas design, making them trendy while still fitting wide feet well.
Design
As we said above, the Grand Court Sneaker by Adidas is the classic Adidas look. They have white outsoles with stripes that can be in the colour of your choosing. The shoes can also come in black or grey, but white is still the classic choice.
The shoes are made of completely synthetic material and have a rubber sole. While these are children’s shoes, this style is available in all sizes from child all the way through adult.
Features
The Grand Court sneakers are an icon from the Adidas brand. Thankfully, the new models of this classic shoe are using modern materials, resulting in better overall quality. The boot opening for these shoes is 0-3 inches, which should be excellent when it comes to wide feet. They also have a durable rubber sole to help with longevity.
The shoes do come with either a lace or a Velcro closure, but there is a lot of confusions surrounding which is which, leading to mistakes. Pay close attention to what you are ordering to make sure you are getting the closure that you want.
6. SouthBrothers Kid's Tennis Wide Shoes For Kids
Another choice for wide width shoes for kids is the SouthBrothers Tennis Shoes. This is a versatile sneaker that should work as well for girls as for boys.
Design
The SouthBrothers design is pretty standard for a sneaker. It has a mesh upper with rubber soles. The shoes also come in a variety of colours, which allows the children a lot of choice as far as which shoe they might want.
The design itself is intended to provide both breathability and flexibility, increasing your child’s overall comfort while wearing them.
Features
The SouthBrothers shoes are a great choice for all of the classic sports for kids, like tennis, running, basketball, and walking. The mesh material that the upper is made out of is entirely breathable, so your child’s feet will not get too hot while wearing them. The soles are made of rubber, but it is a lightweight rubber, so the shoes do not weigh much.
The shoes are also easy to put on and to take off, removing a lot of headache on the parents’ side. Part of this is due to the fastening structure, which includes an elastic band and a convenient hook and loop. There are no laces to struggle with when it comes to these shoes, helping your child to be more independent.
7. UBFEN Water Shoes For Kids
Water Shoes
Our choice for the best kids' water shoes for wide feet is the UBFEN Water Shoes. These are more interesting shoes that are specifically intended for children who will be walking sharp or slick surfaces in or around water.
Design
The design of the UBFEN shoes is pretty unique. They are shaped like a foot to act more ergonomically on your child’s feet.
They also have a rubber sole that is lightweight and slip resistant. The material of the upper is flexible, which means that they are comfortable shoes that should keep your children from complaining about them.
Features
There are a lot of awesome features that come with the UBFEN water shoes. The first is that they are completely breathable, which is so necessary in good water shoes.
They will still protect your child’s feet from hurting while playing on a rough or slick surface, but they remain comfortable, even when in water. The shoes are also incredibly lightweight, so they are easy to wear.
The material of the shoe is stretchy, so it will stretch to fit around your child’s wide foot without any issue, and they will still remain comfortable to wear. Unfortunately, due to their soft design, they are not durable. If they are abused too much, there is a good chance of them falling apart, so consider where your child will be wearing them first.
8. Nike Kids Star Runner 2 Sneaker
For Sporty Kids
Another excellent shoe for children with wide feet is the Nike Kids Star Runner 2 Sneaker. Nike is well-known for its sneaker quality, and this shoe is no exception, offering a high level of comfort and practicality.
Design
The design of these shoes looks like what you should expect from a sneaker. They have a mesh upper that helps with breathability as well as a rubber sole to help protect your child’s feet. Like the other shoes that we have looked at, these come in a range of colours, so your child will get to choose.
Features
The Star Runner 2 shoes have a lot of great features to offer, including the durable traction that you get from their rubber sole. The shoe itself is flexible, which should mean that they are comfortable enough for your children’s feet.
There are grooves in the rubber that allow the shoe to have the flexibility that it needs to in order to bend and move as you want it to.
Another aspect of the shoes that adds to their overall comfort is the fact that there is soft midsole foam within the shoe as well, this will make them easier to wear all day without complaint. There is also extra foam around the collar and the tongue to provide the wearer with another level of comfort.
9. Nike Girls’ Revolution 4 Running Shoe
Durable
Another great choice for girls is the Nike Girls’ Revolution 4 Running Shoe. These are great for active and sporty girls who are always on the go, but still fashionable enough to be worn all of the time.
Design
The Revolution 4 running shoe is made up of a mesh upper with a rubber sole. The materials throughout the shoe are both leather as well as synthetic, combining the best of both worlds.
They also have a couple of colour choices, so even though they are advertised as girls’ shoes, there are more gender-neutral colours available.
Features
The features for these shoes include a hook and loop closure to provide a solid lockdown. The soft foam midsole will provide a lightweight, but responsive level of cushioning, ensuring that your child’s feet will have only the highest level of comfort possible.
The mesh materials of the upper is also made to provide the highest level of breathability possible and help to keep your child’s feet from sweating.
The only downside to these shoes is that if your child is really hard on his/her shoes, these shoes are not going to hold up well. They should work well for running and walking, but climbing and other more physical sports might wear them down faster.
10. Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Low Top Sneaker
Converse
The final pair of the best children’s shoes for wide feet that we will look at is the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Low Top Sneaker. These are a classic pair of shoes that people of all ages wear regularly.
Design
The Chuck Taylor low tops have a rubber toe, which increases the overall durability and longevity of the shoe. The upper of the shoe is made of a canvas material.
The All Starts come in just about any colour imaginable, so there are a lot of personalization options. Because they are so iconic, they always manage to be in fashion and are a popular choice for people of all ages and genders.
Features
The classic Chuck Taylor shoes are traditionally a lace-up shoe. The rubber toe makes it easier to keep your child’s feet dry and prevent him/her from stubbing your toes.
The rubber sole is also durable, but it also manages to be lightweight, making it easy for children to wear without any trouble. They are also low top shoes so there is no issue of them rubbing on your child’s ankles and causing irritation or blisters.
While they are good for wide feet, there are some knock offs floating around that do not run wide. Make sure that what you are buying is actually Converse and not a brand pretending to be Converse.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Wide Shoes For Kids
Comfort
The number one thing that you need to consider when shopping for best kid's shoes for wide feet is their comfort. A child is never going to wear uncomfortable shoes for long and you can bet that it will be an uphill battle to attempt it.
Just like with adults, comfort will depend much on personal preference, so even if one of your children says that a certain pair or brand is comfortable, another child might disagree. Comfort is often based on sizing, including being sure that there is enough room for their toes to move and even room for growth.
The toe box also needs to be wide box that their toes do not get squished, causing more discomfort. Some kids’ shoes also have padding and more support for better comfort.
Protection
Protection is another factor to think about when looking for wide kids shoes. Many younger children are incredibly active, so their shoes need to be able to handle that without falling to pieces.
Protection will depend on what the child does, but most often it means having a sole that is thick enough to handle climbing over rocks or climbing up trees as well as having a secure toe that will prevent them from stubbing it.
If you are looking more for water shoes, the shoes will need to offer the ability to have water roll right off them while still managing to not cause blisters or injuring. Water shoes also need solid soles to navigate rocks and hard surfaces in the water.
Adjustability
A factor that is especially important for children with wide feet is the ability to adjust the shoes. While there are many shoes that are wide enough to fit wide feet well, sometimes it is best to be able to adjust the shoes to fit even better.
This means that if they are Velcro, the straps are long enough to accommodate wide feet. If the shoes are laces, you will have better luck adjusting them, since most of the time, laces can be swapped out for longer laces.
The opening of the shoe should also be large enough to easily fit around wide feet without feeling as if you are stuffing their feet into the shoes. The more adjustable the shoe, the more comfortable they are.
Ease Of Use
The final consideration that you should make with shoes for wide feet is how easy they are to use. It is difficult enough to wrangle a child to get him/her into shoes, so if the shoe is making it harder, it will not be any easier on you.
The best shoes are the ones that a child can put on alone without assistance. The ease of use will depend greatly on the age of the child as well as dexterity.
You wouldn’t put a toddler in laces if you hoped the child would be independent, but you should be able to for an older child. The shoes should also open up well enough to get the child’s foot in without issue.
Measuring Children's Feet At Home
When you are ordering shoes online, it is especially important to measure their feet ahead of time. It is simple to do.
- Have your child stand with his/her feet on a sheet of paper. You might need two sheets depending on the size of your child and the paper.
- With your child standing straight and tall, trace around your child’s feet with a pencil or pen.
- Use a tape measure and measure the length of your child’s feet, from the longest point to the heel. You should also measure across the toebox for width.
That’s it. Now compare the measurements to the shoe size chart.
How Should Kids' Shoes Fit?
Part of shoe buying for children is knowing how the shoes should fit for a child. Since children’s feet do grow quickly, as we discuss below, getting the fit right is important, unless you want to be buying new shoes all of the time.
Ideally, you should buy children’s shoes a half a size up from their current size to account for rapid growth. Your children will have growing feet, so their toes should not be squished up at all. The toebox also needs to be wide enough that their toes are not being pushed on top of one another.
How Quickly Do Children's Feet Grow
The speed at which feet grow depends on the age of the child. Feet grow about 3/4 inch each year between the ages of 1 to 3. Then, between the ages for 3 to 6, their feet grow about 1/2 inch each year.
Between ages 6 to 10, on average, children’s feet will grow a little less than 1/2 inch each year. After that, girls’ feet only grow about 2% more and boys’ feet can grow up to 10% more. This means to keep up with growth, your children will need anywhere between 1 to 3 new pairs of shoes a year.
Final Words
Overall, the best children’s shoes for wide feet depend on the need and situation. While the Native Shoes or Adidas shoes are excellent choices for children with wide feet, it still comes down to need. Native shoes won’t work for sporty kids who might need the Nike running shoes.
Above all else, do not try to force your child’s wide feet into narrow shoes, even if they are more appealing or popular. You must get shoes that fit well. As we have shown you, there are plenty of models of shoes out there that are attractive and still work for wide feet.
What’s up guys! It’s Tim here. Finding the right footwear for wide feet can be a challenge. And I know this from my own experience since I wear E or EE shoes. And that’s why I decided to start Wide Feet Gear. I want to help people with wide feet to find perfect shoes, boots, skates or cleats so they can look and feel great. Cheers!