After Years of Testing Kids' Walking Shoes, We Think These Brands Are the Best (2024)

Our Lab pros and parent testers alike trust Nike for kids' shoes, including these Star Runners, which the brand touts for track practice and other kids' athletics in addition to walking and racing around the playground. "Nikes are definitely a splurge, but I’m willing to spend on these sneakers because my kids wear them literally every day," says Lexie Sachs, Executive Director, Strategy & Operations, a mom of two and a frequent Disney World traveler. Her kids have walked miles in the parks in them!

The laces on this Target-brand sneaker are just for show. These are easy, slip-on walking shoes for under $35 that help your child quickly get ready and out the door. "My kid insists on slip-ons because velcro is cringe and laces are too much work," a tester told us.

The Good Housekeeping Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor, Marisa LaScala, is a big fan of the brand. "My 8-year-old says they feel good and are comfortable. Every time she grows out of one pair we just get another. Whenever we try something else, she doesn’t like it as much."

There's also a mint green Harley. If you're looking for toddler and preschool sizes the Toddler Banksy comes in Little Kid 5 to 12, and in pink or blue. And for elementary-school kids, the brand's $25 Fin Hybrid Sneakers have no laces whatsoever and come in black, blue and pink.

Sizes: Little Kid 13 to Youth 6

Adidas considers these hiking shoes appropriate for terrain as rough as trails or as simple as concrete playgrounds. Parents told us they rely on these as their kids' everyday sneakers — one mom even shared a screenshot of her nine Amazon orders for this same shoe over the past six years.

"My son is hard on sneakers and he has a wide foot, but these work. They are water resistant for light rain or mild snow days," she said. This shoe comes in a wide range of sizes from babies just learning to walk to kids about to graduate to men's or women's sizes. The Terrex also comes in a coral pink color.

Sizes: Little Kid 1 to Youth 7

Related: Best Sneakers for Women

Merrell makes slip-resistant, strong outdoor walking shoes that are durable over time and good for all terrain from hiking trails to Disney parks. "My 8-year-old daughter loves these and they hold up really well. She grows out of them before they break or wear out," a parent told us.

There's a hook-and-loop closure at the top of the laces. These range in sizes from babies to big kids and there is a pink version and a classic dark brown and orange design.

Sizes: Little Kid 1.5 to Youth 7

RELATED: Best Hiking Shoes for Adults

Several parents told us that New Balance is their default choice, having tried other brands and realized that these, with their light weight but thick cushioning, work best for their fast-growing, fast-moving kids. The largely mesh upper make these more breathable than other kids' walking shoes.

This pastel fashion might especially appeal to girls; there's also a black and white colorway and all white. There's a version with bungee laces, the Dynasoft, for littler kids. "My son loves those and says they're easy to put on," one parent said of the Dynasoft.

Sizes: Youth 3.5 to 7

Our Textiles Lab has extensively tested the best HOKA shoes for runners and adults who work out. They've come to trust the ones for children, too, built to be "a lighter shoe, better suited to kids," said Emma Seymour, Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab Senior Analyst.

The Mach 6 comes in seven color styles including black and pink. The brand says they are built with thicker outsoles than the adults versions for extra durability. (Kids are hard on their sneakers!) These are expensive for kids' sneakers, but they're sized for bigger kids who don't grow as rapidly as preschoolers.

Sizes: Youth 3.5 to 7

Sachs used these when her kids were younger. "I loved how they looked more elevated than an athletic sneaker, but they were great for a young walker," she said. Ten Little has earned the APMA Seal of Approval from the American Podiatric Medical Association.

The Everyday Original is made with a faux leather upper, cotton lining and rubber soles. It comes in 11 colors including two shades of pink, black, white and a metallic silver. This brand received one of our previous Parenting Awards for their First Walkers, which are for toddlers wearing Little Kid sizes 3 to 6.

Sizes: Little Kid 4 to 13

These are featured in our most recent Parenting Awards where we said that they check all the boxes for top-notch toddler footwear: a wide opening, flexible soles, breathable (and washable) fabric and spacious footbeds. The sole is extra thick for durability.

In testing, families reported that their toddlers were able to get Stonz Cruisers on and off by themselves with the easy hook-and-loop closures. On Amazon they come in navy, black, beige and pink.

Sizes: Little Kid 6 to 11

Our Lab pros and home testers liked these shoes for new walkers so much, we gave these one of our most recent Parenting Awards as well. They seem to mimic the feeling of walking barefoot, and the Swoosh 1 has a wide toe box to allow for natural flexing of the toes while babies learn to stand, cruise and take first steps.

"The shoe was clearly made with a baby's foot in mind,” one tester said. “The opening allows you to easily slide the foot in. It is also very lightweight!” These come in black, white, gray and the pink style, shown.

Sizes: Little Kid 3 to 7

When looking for really good walking shoes, you should consider:

✔️ Age and size: You can buy shirts and coats that your kid can grow into, but you really want to buy shoes that fit your child right now. Look for styles marked for babies or toddlers if your child is age 3 or younger, for instance — they will take into account how wide their little feet are.

✔️ Laces or loops: Big kids will be ready to tie their tennis shoes. But for little kids there are hook-and-loop closures that make it easier to secure shoes closed. We also found plenty of slip-ons that use bungee-style laces or are lace-free for easy on and off.

✔️ Comfort: Walking shoes need to have cushioning and durable soles. Unfortunately you won't know exactly how comfortable a pair of shoes feels to your child until they're wearing them for a bit. The parents we polled said that once they found a brand their child liked, they tended to stay loyal.

✔️ Flexibility: In your grandma's time people thought that babies, toddlers and kids needed "supportive" shoes which meant stiff, unyielding styles. Now podiatrists say it's best if you can twist your child's walking shoes like you're wringing out a towel. Wearing flexible sneakers will help your child's muscles develop properly.

Kids' feet grow so fast that it's rare for them to spend an entire year in one size. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says that before 18 months of age, a baby's feet can grow by more than half a shoe size every 2 months. Toddler’s feet grow an average of a half size every 3 months. Once your child is 3 or older their feet will grow by one size every year. This means that many kids will need to go up a half size every six months.

You can measure your child's foot size at home. Nordstrom's step-by-step instructions for measuring your child's foot in inches or centimeters has an accompanying shoe size chart that can help you find the right size.

Lab pros have been testing products in the Good Housekeeping Institute for more than a hundred years. Additionally, the Institute uses a wide range of at-home family testers who can give feedback on kids' products including the best toys. Other kid-focused award stories that incorporate testing by families nationwide include the annual Kids Book Awards and the Family Travel Awards.

This list was written by Contributing Writer Jessica Hartshorn, a mom of two and former senior editor for Parents magazine. She's also written about the best kids' lunchboxes and best kids' headphones.