Fall & Winter Shoes for New Walkers (and beyond): A Pediatric Physical Therapist’s Guide
If you’re new here, hiiiii! I’m Kailee—Pediatric Physical Therapist & Mama of 3 babies earthside and 2 in heaven. I’m the founder of The Movement Mama community and I’m so so glad you’re here :)
For more resources like this, check out these other Movement Mama posts:
Shoes for Chunky Toddler Feet: A Pediatric Physical Therapist’s Guide
Shoes for New Walkers: A Pediatric Physical Therapist's Guide
and make sure to grab my free shoe-buying guide
For a full breakdown of what I look for in a growing foot-healthy shoe, check out this post.
In summary I like to find a shoe that has:
Pull loop (side or back): Let's start simple. Just trust me when I say this will make your life 10,000x easier getting those chubby little feet into their shoes.
Velcro straps: Baby feet come in all shapes and sizes. And as toddlers grow, they lose the fatty tissue on their feet at times when their foot length may not actually change. Velcro straps not only allow for easy adjustability for their comfort but they also encourage independence at a younger age when they're able to get shoes on/off themselves. You may not want to teach this if you don't want every car ride to end in them kicking their shoes off, or you may just learn to not put shoes on until you reach your destination :) I'll let you decide. If you’re struggling to fit babe’s chunky feet in shoes, check out this reel. I also wanted to let you know that Ten Little now offers strap extenders + removable insoles which are PERFECT for chubby feet or orthotics!
Slight toe rise (new walkers only): Learning to walk is hard. Falling isn't fun, but it's a necessary part of learning. I love finding a shoe that has just a slight rise in the toe. Excessive toe rise isn't necessary, but giving our new walkers a bit of an advantage against tripping over their toes is helpful and encourages them to continue trying to walk throughout more of their day. After your little one has outgrown their first pair of shoes, look for a zero-drop sole meaning the heel is the same level as the toe box.
Wide, foot-shaped toe box: Here's an amazing visual from My Foot Function that demonstrates WHY a wide toe box is so crucial to supporting tiny growing feet. Sure you may be able to slide your toddler's feet perfectly into a shoe in sitting, but when they stand, their foot and toes splay out. It's no wonder so many kids complain about shoe-wearing at first. They're used to letting their piggies free.
Protective, flexible sole: The biggest indicator that a child needs to switch from a soft soled moccasin to a shoe with an actual footplate is when they begin walking in the community. Meaning they may encounter rocks, sticks, mulch, heat/cold, sharp objects, etc and we need to protect their feet. And while we want the sole to be thick enough to prevent penetration of sharp objects, we also want it to be flexible enough for your little one to feel surface changes beneath their feet. This not only helps them be more balanced by giving them lots of feedback about where their body is in space + how to adjust their walking accordingly, but it also helps to strengthen the tiny muscles of the foot and ankle that are necessary for developing the arches of the foot, as well as the stability required for higher level motor skills.
A disclaimer: for winter boots and shoes, you likely will not be able to bend the shoe in half, like I would prefer with a tennis shoe or sandal! There are more weather elements at play in the winter, so the sole has to be slightly thicker for safety and traction. However, if babe is just walking around indoors, I think it’s okay to still do a soft-soled boot! Many of the boots I recommend will still have a flexible enough sole for your kiddo to adequately feel surface changes beneath them! If you have a stable walker (3+), feel free to purchase a heavier duty boot. But for the purpose of this blog and my own professional preference for a minimalist shoe, that’s what you’ll see here :)
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now for the links :)
1: My Pediatric PT heart couldn’t help but start off with an adaptive shoe—made to fit orthotics (or chunky toddler feet)
2: Merrell BareSteps water shoes are a community-favorite, so I was super excited to learn this line also makes winter boots!
3: How cute are these?!
4: Splay shoes are on my list to try with my big kids. They consistently make “best-of” lists for minimalist kids shoes. And I love all the fall colors!
5: Again, just absolutely obsessed with these from the BareSteps line! They come in pink & brown!
6: These are the winter boots we had last year and it amazes me how flexible they are! Helps SO much with balance in the snow & ice.
7: Furry high-tops from Ten Little. I adore the minimalist profile of Ten Littles + I love that they also have strap-extenders for orthotics or extra wide feet! Plus, it’s a Mama-owned brand, so you can’t beat that! If you’re like me and hate to pay shipping, consider joining their membership program, where you’ll get 10% off every order + free shipping! They also have an incredible shop of play items that are expert-curated and non-toxic! Here’s my top 10 list! Definitely consider shopping Ten Little for all your Christmas needs :)
8: When I asked the community for awesome minimalist shoes that come in super small sizes, too, Little Love Bug was recommended the most! I adore these.
9: It’s hard to go wrong with this classic style.
10: I’m super excited that my favorite kids shoe brand now has a winter boot option! I especially love how wide they open, because I have spent many years struggling to get my toddler’s feet in boots!
11: These look to be a decent budget-friendly option! Be sure to test the sole to determine if it’s flexible enough. I haven’t physically gotten my hands on these.
12: My favorite shoe brand has also released this new style with a super flexible sole and wide toe box! I also love their Mary Janes!
13: Same company, different style :) I’m obsessed with these fuzzy booties and after constantly losing socks with our first, we’ve never bought anything other than this style to keep our babies’ toes warm!
14: These are the same winter boots we used last year, just a lower profile. If you don’t get a lot of snowfall where you live, these would be a great option! They’re waterproof and insulated so they could even work for the early spring months!
15: This BareSteps line just cannot be beat! I love these for a hiking shoe and all sorts of other outdoor adventures!
16: Adore these fuzzy little high-top moccasins!
17: SO many little girl shoes are way too narrow and pointed-toe for growing healthy feet—but not these! They’ve got a nice wide toe box and minimal sole.
18: See Kai Run makes some great first walker versions of many of the shoes I listed above!
19: I see lots of little fashionistas rocking these this winter!
20: These boots are always a top recommendation from the community for tiny feet in the snow :)
21: We got these for Ada June last year and she loved them! Just be warned, though. They’re not meant for rough play or the metallic finish wears off.
22: This brand is always on minimalist shoe rec lists and we love their summer water shoes!
23: These boots work great for winter + early spring for keeping little toes warm and dry!
24: I’m going to be honest—I can’t recall what brand these boots are LOL. But these are a close match—just be sure to check to see if the sole is flexible enough!
25: These little Ugg dupes seem like a good option!
not seeing any you love? here are some tried and true barefoot shoe brands to check out!
Ten little
little love bug
splay (code movement for 10% off)
merrell bare steps
saguaro (code movementmama for 10% off)
vivo
seekairun
I’d love to hear from you if you snag a pair of these :) tag me on IG @themovementmama and let me know what you think! This helps other parents SO much to see the experiences of real-life families using these!
and ps: if there’s a shoe you love that doesn’t make this list, simply reference this blog post to see if it fits the ideal criteria. Do the best you can and don’t stress if it doesn’t check every single box :)
