The best barefoot shoes for toddlers have thin, flexible soles and a wide toe-box. This allows a young child to naturally develop strong, healthy feet!
Do you know how many times a toddler falls when learning how to walk? I don’t have an exact statistic, but as I’m watching my 10-month-old start to transition from crawling, to pulling up, to shuffling along, I can tell you, it’s a lot!
Learning how to walk and run is hard enough without shoes that make it more difficult. When I was a first-time parent, I bought shoes that I thought would be good for my new toddler. They seemed to fit him just right, they were “sturdy” so they’d protect his feet, and they were super cute! But that “sturdy” aspect was the problem – they were incredibly rigid and inflexible.
As I transitioned to barefoot shoes several years ago, I realized how important a thin sole that allows flexibility and ground feel is in allowing my feet to move and function naturally. My toddler needed that same flexibility, especially as he was still learning how to walk. My first child has been wearing minimalist and barefoot shoes for several years, and I now have a baby that is just starting to wear shoes.
After several years of testing, I’m sharing my reviews of the best barefoot shoes for toddlers.
While more and more barefoot shoe companies are starting to make children’s shoes, it can still be hard to find options in the smallest sizes for toddlers. Most of the shoes on this list start at size US3/EU18.
If you’re looking for larger sizes for older kids, check out these posts:
Barefoot is Best
Going barefoot let’s feet be feet!
Without anything getting in their way, the feet’s muscles and ligaments can move and develop naturally. The muscles will strengthen as they’re used. If you have strong feet, you don’t need shoes with arch support or ankle support or any other kind of support; your feet will be able to support themselves, just like they were made to do.
Walking barefoot also means a toddler can receive sensory input from their surroundings. A physical connection to the ground helps improves a child’s awareness, balance and sensory-motor development.
While barefoot is best as often as possible, a toddler needs shoes to protect their feet in all the new places they’ll be walking through. Shoes that allow a toddler’s feet to function as close to barefoot as possible is the next best thing when they can’t be barefoot. Starting a toddler off with healthy footwear is one of the best things you can do for their physical development.
If your baby isn’t quite to the walking stage yet, you may be deciding on which baby carrier to buy–check out this review of Tula vs Ergobaby.
What to look for in Barefoot Shoes for Toddlers
1 Wide Toe Box – Look for shoes that fit the natural shape of the foot. For a toddler, that’s fairly wide and chunky. The toe box should not taper, but rather have plenty of room for the toes to properly splay and wiggle.
2 Thin, Flexible Soles – Soles should provide protection, but still allow for a sensory connection to the ground beneath and easy movement. For early walkers and toddlers, soft-soled shoes like leather moccasins can be a great option. Very thin and flexible rubber soles work well too.
3 Zero-drop Platform – A zero-drop platform means a flat sole, just like our feet. Even some traditional toddler sneakers have a slight heel raise, which tilts them forward, putting them in an unnatural position.
For more information about shoe types and foot development in toddlers, see the frequently asked questions section at the end of this post.
Barefoot Shoes for Toddlers
1 Magical Shoes Barefoot Toddler Shoes
Leather Uppers | 3.3 mm non-slip Rubber Sole
Sizes EU18 –23 | Starting Retail: $56 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off
The Magical Shoes Baloo are made to be a baby’s first shoes. The Baloo are one of the best barefoot shoes for toddlers because the uppers are super soft leather, and the bottoms have a thin and very flexible layer of rubber. If you‘re worried about the suede of a soft-sole leather moccasin rubbing through, then these soles are almost as flexible, but a bit more durable.
These are really about as close as you can get to being barefoot, with just a little extra protection around a toddler’s foot. The soles are 3.3 mm non-slip rubber.
My baby has just started to wear these, and the velcro strap and wide open makes this so easy to slip on those wiggly, wide baby feet. Magical Shoes offers several other barefoot shoe styles for toddlers, including pairs made with vegan leather, and others made with mesh fabric tops for warmer months.
Sizing starts at EU 18, so these are perfect for those toddlers with tiny feet that are just learning to walk. Magical Shoes is based in Poland, but offers worldwide shipping for as little as 6 Euros. Use code KELLY10 for 10% off your entire purchase at Magical Shoes.
If you’re based in the US, you can also order Magical Shoes from the online retailer PedTerra, which offers free shipping and free returns in the US. Use code KELLY for 10% off at PedTerra.
2 Softstar Moccasins and Ramblers
Leather Uppers | Suede or Vibram Pyramid Sole
Sizes: 3 and up | Starting Retail: $50 | Free Shipping
Softstar makes butter-soft leather shoes and moccasins. The soft-soled leather moccasins start at size 3 (for ages 6 – 12 months), and go up to size 5 and are made for early walkers to be worn mostly indoors. It’s best to let babies be barefoot as often as possible, but these soft sole shoes are great for indoor places that require shoes, like daycare and preschool.
The Rambler, Laguna Sandal and Merry Janes are also great barefoot shoes for toddlers, made with leather uppers and a zero-drop, super-flexible 3mm Vibram Pyramid sole.
Every shoe is handcrafted in Softstar’s Oregon workshop, and many of the shoes can be customized with different colors. The customizability of these shoes continues with its sizing, where you can order narrow, regular, wide, or extra wide width shoes. Softstar’s regular width is already wider than what you might see for typical toddler shoes. The wide option is great for those toddlers with particular wide feet (what Softstar has lovingly dubbed “Potato feet.” ) If you think this may be your toddler reach out to their customer serivce team to confirm measurements).
My son wore the Ramblers with Vibram bottoms until he outgrew them, and they held up well. They were so easy for him to slip on and had good grip. When the leather was starting to look worn, it quickly shined up with some polish.
Shipping is free on all orders in the US. There is a minimum spend of $150 for free shipping outside the US, otherwise the cost is $12.
3 ShooShoos Soft Sole Leather Moccasins
Leather Uppers | Suede Soles
Sizes 2 and up | Starting Retail: $35 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off
Soft Sole Leather Moccasins are an excellent option for barefoot toddler shoes because of how flexible they are. The leather uppers and suede soles provide that thin layer of protection, but the feet can bend, flex, stretch and wiggle all they want.
ShooShoos have a range of cute designs with animal cut outs decorating the front. These styles feature elastic around the opening for a secure fit.
They also have simple solid moccasins in colors like pink, blue and black. These have a velcro strap over the top of the foot to secure instead of elastic.
For the colder months, there are extra cozy options, like these moccasins lined with fleece, or these thicker slippers lined with fluffy wool.
Shipping starts at $5 in the US, and shipping on all orders over $50 are free. Use code KELLY10 for 10% off your purchase.
**Note that only the pre-walker and soft-soled moccasins fit the features of a barefoot shoe. The shoes for older children do not fit the criteria of a barefoot shoe.
4 Vivobarefoot Primus Toddler
Leather, wool, mesh uppers | Rubber Soles
Sizes: US5/EU20 and up | Starting Retail: $75 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off
Vivobarefoot is one of the most prominent names in barefoot shoes. Its barefoot toddler shoes all have soles that are thin, wide, flat and bendy to promote the natural foot development. Vivobarefoot has a wide range of styles in its kids’ barefoot shoe line up, including active, every day, sandals, and boots.
The Primus is one of their most popular styles for kids, and comes in two different versions for toddlers. The Primus Sport features mesh for breathability, while the Primus knit is made from leather and wool.
Vivobarefoot has launched several initiatives to keep its shoes out of landfills and on feet. The Primus’ thin and flexible sole doesn’t mold around the feet, which means they are great to pass on or resell. You can purchase pre-loved and discounted Vivos directly from the company at revivo.com.
Use code KELLY10 for 10% off at Vivobarefoot.
5 Wildling Toddler Barefoot Shoes
Fabric uppers like cotton, linen and wool | 2.5mm rubber and cork soles
Sizes: US2.5/EU18 and up |Starting Retail: $59
Wildling has a full line of toddler barefoot shoes, and launches new styles each season. The flexible 2.5mm sole and soft uppers offer a barefoot feel.
My son absolutely loves his “fox shoes” as he calls them, and has worn several of their styles over the years.
Wildling uses mostly sustainable, vegan materials in its shoe line-up including organic cotton, linen, hemp. For winter, many shoes use responsibly sourced wool. You can find the toddler barefoot shoes in the Cubs section of the Wildling website. These styles are usually smaller versions of the ones they offer for kids and adults so the whole family can match in their Wildlings.
Wildling has a printable Fit Kit to help you determine the correct size, which includes a growth zone of approximately 1/4 inch.
Shipping is free to the US with orders over $200, and your first return is free. Otherwise, shipping to the US is about $10. Depending on where you live, you can shop the US or International Wildling website below.
6 Bisgaard Baby shoes
Cotton or Wool uppers | Rubber sole inlay
Sizes: 3 and up | Starting Retail: $62
Bisgaard is another brand that makes cute and function barefoot shoes for toddlers. The uppers are made from cotton or wool, and feature a large velcro strap to secure the feet. The bottom has a rubber sole inlay, making these very minimal and flexible toddler shoes.
These baby barefoot shoes are available from online retailer PedTerra, which offers free shipping and free returns in the US. Use code KELLY for 10% off at PedTerra .
7 PaperKrane Toddler Shoes
Leather, wool, mesh Uppers | Rubber inlay soles
Sizes: 4 and up | Starting Retail: $60
PaperKrane is known for their fun, brightly colored designs. Many styles have sizes starting at US4. For toddler sizes US 4-7, the “Midi” soles feature a rubber inlay instead of a full rubber sole, which makes them soft and flexible (see the third photo below). Larger sizes use the full rubber sole, which is still very flexible, and a bit more durable for older kids.
PaperKrane is an Australian brand, but their barefoot toddler shoes are available from US retailer PedTerra (with free shipping and free returns in the US!).
Use code KELLY for 10% off at PedTerra.
Other minimalist kids shoes to check out (in Alpha order)
The list above represents my top recommendations for barefoot and minimalist kids shoes, but I wanted to include a more comprehensive list of all of the healthy shoes for kids.
** One of my favorite places to shop for barefoot kids shoes is the online retailer PedTerra. They carry a lot of small, amazing European brands, and offer free shipping and free returns in the US. You can use code KELLY for 10% off your purchase at PedTerra.
Know of any other great healthy, barefoot and minimalist shoe brands for children? Let me know in the comments below!
Anatomic Shoes – Anatomic both offers super affordable barefoot shoes for kids! These linked ones are $18! Use Code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra.
Bobux – Soft sole moccasins through big kid shoes. Bobux are more of a minimal shoes vs a barefoot shoe, meaning their wider and more flexible than most traditional shoes, but not as much as most of the barefoot shoes on this list.
Baby Bare – Make sneakers, sandals, and boots with high quality Italian leather. Despite baby in the name, these wide, minimalist shoes go up to US Big Kid 2/EU33. Use code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra.
Bar3foot – Cotton canvas barefoot sneakers for kids. Use code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra. These are a good fit for wide, high volume feet.
Bisgaard – Cute and function barefoot shoes for kids. The uppers are made from cotton or wool, and feature a large velcro strap to secure the feet. The bottom has a rubber sole inlay, making these very minimal and flexible toddler shoes. These kids barefoot shoes are available from online retailer PedTerra, which offers free shipping and free returns in the US. Use code KELLY for 10% off at PedTerra.
Cat & Jack Toddler Parker Sneakers – This Target brand makes a pair of canvas velcro sneakers called they Toddler Parker Sneakers. These are a compromise shoe as they’re reasonably wide, but do taper in the toe box. The insole has some extra padding in the heel, so remove to make it zero-drop. They’re incredibly affordable at $10 for a pair.
Etsy – I’ve found several Etsy retailers that hand make minimalist leather shoes for kids. While some only go to toddler sizes, others go up to bigger kids sizes (Ebooba’s largest is for 7-8 year olds). When you’re searching Etsy, look for shoes that are thin, flat and flexible. Here are a few Etsy Shops to check out:
Feelmax – Finnish brand with kid’s shoes start at size EU24. Shoes are reasonably priced (under €40), but shipping to US is around €30.
Foot Buddy Kid’s Shoes – Children’s minimalist shoes in Toddler sizes 8-12. Prioritize durability with large toe bumper and thicker soles. They are zero drop with a wide toe box. Retail is $39. Use coupon code 12KELLY12 for 12% off on Amazon.
Freet – British brand with wide shoes starting at size EU 30. Use Code KELLY for 10% off.
Froddo – Shoes start at baby US 1 and go up through big kids. Full line of leather sneakers, sandals and boots. Use code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra.
Jack & Lily – affordable baby, toddler and kids barefoot shoes.
PaperKrane – Kids barefoot shoe company from Australia known for their fun, brightly colored designs. Code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra.
Robeez –Soft-sole leather moccasins for toddlers.
Saguaro – Wide water shoes (they make overall great summer shoes) that start at size US7.5. Available on Amazon.
Skinners – Skinners are more like durable socks than shoes, but they are a great option for a kid that needs no fuss footwear. They’re machine washable and have a 500 mile life span.
Ten Little Sneakers – Affordable barefoot shoes for kids that have simple, classic styling. These are more of a minimalist shoe with somewhat thicker, stiffer soles. They have vegan leather and canvas sneakers as well as sandals and rain boots.
Tikki Shoes – Leather and vegan leather wide kids shoes and sandals made in Romania.
Tough Little Piggies – Flexible moccasins with reinforced toe boxes for durability.
Zeazoo – Girl’s barefoot shoes, sandals and boots in bright, bold colors. Use code KELLY for 10% off on PedTerra.
Frequently Asked Questions about Toddler Shoes
What type of shoe is best for toddlers?
Shoes with a wide toe box and thin, flexible soles are the best type of shoes for toddlers.
Is it normal for toddlers to have flat feet?
Yes, flat feet are completely normal and expected for toddlers. Children typically do not start developing arches until around age 6.
How often do toddlers need new shoes?
Every toddler grows at a different rate, but most young children need new shoes every 2 to 4 months. It is important that their shoes aren’t too small so their feet aren’t cramped and toes can properly splay. Shoes also shouldn’t have too much extra space as that can cause them to trip.
How do I select the best shoe size for my toddler?
To determine the best shoe size for your toddler, first measure both of their feet. Most people’s feet are not exactly the same length. The optimal shoe size is about 12mm longer than the longest toe.
When selecting a shoe, consider the width and volume in addition to the length of your child’s foot. Each of these can impact a child’s shoe size, and not every shoe is made for every foot. While a shoe may be the proper length, it may be better suited to a different width or volume of foot.
Are flat shoes better for toddlers?
Flat shoes are usually better for everyone, including toddlers. Buying zero-drop shoes means your toddlers posture and walking gait won’t be negatively impacting by their shoes. The shoes in this post focus on allowing your toddler to develop naturally so their feet can be strong!
The internet can be a really hard place to find reliable information, especially when it comes to finding healthy footwear. Arch support, heel raises and toe springs change the way a person walks, which can often lead to issues not just for the feet, but the whole body.
Do toddlers need arch support?
Most toddlers do not need arch support. Toddlers naturally have flat feet and do not need shoes with arch support. Wearing flat, zero-drop shoes will allow both toddlers and adults to develop stronger feet that don’t need to be externally supported.
Do toddlers need ankle support?
Most toddlers do not need ankle support. Toddlers need their ankles free to develop muscles (just like kids and adults!). Putting a toddler in shoes with stiff ankle supports is like putting them in a cast – the muscles won’t develop and they’ll be more prone to injury.
4 Comments
You should add Camper to the list.
How would Livie & Luca compare to Bobux? Struggling to find youth sizes now (size 1) that she’s outgrown toddler sizes that still fits her desire for “cute” shoes.
hi thanks for the information, as there are no barefoot shoes for children around. i found these http://www.colline-store.com what do you think?
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