Photo: Liza Corsillo
Finding sneakers that meet the needs — and desires — of both parents and kids is no easy task, especially as they are not all that much cheaper than adult sneakers. A brief poll of Strategist parents found that we all expect to pay somewhere between $40 and $60 for a high-quality pair of kids’ shoes. If you have a kid in the midst of a growth spurt or one who regularly wears their shoes into the ground, buying cheaper, slightly less durable sneakers — or shopping resale sites like Poshmark, or eBay — is often the most practical way to go. Once they hit a certain age, most children will have their own opinions about the style of sneakers they want to wear. Some will only wear slip-ons, some just want whatever their friends have, and some will prioritize colorful patterns, flashing lights, or glitter above all else.
Then there’s the confusing matter of kids’ shoe sizing. “Little kid” shoe sizes, sometimes referred to as toddler sizes, run from 0 through 13 and will fit infants and toddlers as well as kids up to about 5 or 6 years old. Then they move up to “big kid” sizes (sometimes referred to as just “kids” or “youth” sizes), which start over again with size 1 and can run as high as size 7. (The next consecutive size up is a men’s 8 or a women’s 10, as women’s shoes sizes are typically about 1.5 sizes smaller than men’s.)
To find the best sneakers for kids of all ages, I talked to children’s shoe experts and stylish yet practical parents — Strategist writers and editors included — about the shoes they buy for their own kids. We’ve organized their recommendations by age, from toddlers all the way to teenagers, and noted which styles are available in multiple age categories.
Updated on August 15, 2025
I added a bunch of new sneakers, removed the ones that were out of stock or discontinued, and confirmed availability and prices for all of the others. Native’s Jefferson sneakers are on sale.
Stacey Fauci, owner of kids’ shoe store Runnin’ Wild, says canvas shoes from the Seattle-based brand See Kai Run are among her best sellers year after year. “They have a functional soft sole, and the styles are very nice,” she says, adding that they’re also cut a little wider than other sneakers and make a great first-walker shoe. Jennifer May, a children’s-footwear consultant, adds that because many kids have wide feet, it makes sense that these comfy, roomier shoes are so popular. These Riley sneakers from See Kai Run are available in a handful of colors and fabrics, including purple corduroy, and little-kid sizes 5 through 13.5; the brand also makes other styles in sizes up through a big-kid size 3.
For the second summer in a row, my 2.5-year-old son has been wearing his Native Jefferson sneakers every single day. (We just got the next size up from a friend whose kid outgrew his pair, and they are in perfect condition.) They’re the easiest shoes to put on and so comfortable he never tries to take them off — and countless other little kids on the playground are wearing them too. I love how easy they are to clean and that the footbed is wide and flat, giving him lots of room to stretch his toes. They are also much more stable and easy for him to run in than other water-friendly shoes, like Crocs. They come in lots of different colors and patterns as well as more ecofriendly versions made using algae and sugarcane instead of just plastic. The adult-size Jeffersons are pretty cute too, for parents who might want to match with their kid.
Like See Kai Run’s sneakers, Ten Little’s baby and kid sneakers are cut wide to promote healthy foot growth. They are also extremely popular, and I always see a few kids wearing them on Brooklyn playgrounds, regardless of the season. My son learned to walk in Ten Little’s high-top sneakers during a particularly slushy spring. It was a nerve-racking time, for sure, but I always felt he was well-supported and never worried about the shoes getting stained or wet; it’s easy to wipe them clean with a damp paper towel. When he grew out of them, I was able to hand them down to a friend in near-perfect condition. Fellow mom and Wrangler design director Teresa An also recommends Ten Little’s sneakers, particularly the low top Everyday Original style. Her son Isaac had wide, chubby feet as a toddler, and she says the shoes offered the best combination of fit and comfort, adding that they are quick to put on with minimal fuss. Ten Little recently released a retro-inspired sportier sneaker that Strategist deputy editor Simone Kitchens got for her 3-year-old daughter in purple. “She’s obsessed,” says Kitchens. The shoes are made of vegan suede, with elastic laces and a single strap of velcro at the top. They come in four different colors and, as with all of the brand’s sneakers, run from little-kid size 4 to big-kid size 2.
According to Strategist writer Lauren Ro, almost every baby or toddler in Brooklyn owns a pair of Saucony Jazz sneakers. Indeed, my kid has had two pairs: one in gray and orange and another in blue and white. “I got a red pair for my younger son Solomon when he was 1.5 and they were the only shoes he wore for 7 months straight until he grew out of them,” Ro says, adding that she has since gotten him a new pair in navy blue with a red stripe because she loves them so much. My current favorites are these purple, teal, and silver ones with daisies. Ro likes that the sneakers are really well-made for the price, comfortable, stylish, and easy to put on.
The Nike Swoosh 1 toddler sneakers are another shoe that I’ve seen on all sorts of toddlers and babies in Brooklyn, including two of my closest friends’ kids. Allegra Farina, a marketing executive and parent of an almost 2.5-year-old, says they were her favorite sneaker when her daughter had just started walking because they’re easy to slip on and can be machine washed (plus they dry quickly). She also pointed out that the soles are thin, which makes it easier for her daughter to run around without falling, but they’re also quite durable.
Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio’s niece, who just turned 3 years old, recently got this pair of Nike Cortez sneakers with googly eyes on the back of the heels. We’ve written about the style and comfort benefits of Cortez sneakers before: Strategist writer Dominique Pariso wore hers to Spain this spring, and they’re on our list of the best white sneakers for men. But the googly eyes adds a new element of charm to the classic sneakers. And resellers are already listing the shoes at wildly inflated prices, a sign they’ll likely sell out before long.
As long you’re willing to help tie them, these New Balance 550s are a great choice for elder preschool-age kids who are still growing and gaining coordination, thanks to the wide toe box and flat sole. And in terms of style, they get the approval of sneaker expert Mike Kaufman of Overtime. He likes the classic basketball-inspired shape for little kids because it’s trendy and looks good with everything, from overalls to frilly dresses. They are available in whole and half sizes from little-kid size 10.5 through big-kid size 7, so they’re a nice-looking option for many older kids too.
Multiple parents I spoke to, including Milk Teeth co-founder Rebecca Calavan, recommend Vans Old Skool sneakers for kids from kindergarten all the way through high school. Calavan loves that they are mini versions of classic grown-up sneakers that don’t need to be tied. “It has to be Velcro for school as no-one has learnt bows yet,” she says. Another consideration for her is reinforced toes because many kids, hers included, choose not to use the brake on their scooters and just drag their foot behind them instead. These navy Vans check both boxes and are easy to put on too. They come in a handful of different color combinations and sizes little-kid 10.5 through 13.5 and big-kid 1 through 3.
As a 5-year-old, Ro’s son Augie loved this pair of On Cloud Play sneakers. (They are now too small for him, and he wears the wind-up New Balance DynaSoft sneakers below.) Ro says he wore his On sneakers to school, to the playground, while biking, and everything in between. “He liked to call them his running shoes, because they look cool and sleek, and are also very lightweight,” she says. One minor issue is that the elastic laces sometimes come undone and slip out of the eyelet holes. As a result, one of them got lost, but she ordered some black elastic online and replaced it pretty easily.
When Trolio’s niece saw a kindergarten classmate wearing these shoes, she immediately asked for her own pair; shortly after, multiple kids she knows began sporting variations on this style, and Trolio bought a pink-and-purple pair for her own daughter, who was in first grade at the time. Since then, the sneakers have made their way into Ro’s house as her older son’s go-to pair. The shoes have a single flap that hooks onto a disc that can be tightened to secure the shoe so kids can quickly and easily put their shoes on by themselves. They come in whole and half sizes from little-kid size 10.5 through big-kid size 7.
Trolio first discovered Billy Footwear high-tops when working on a Strategist story about the best back-to-school clothes according to kids and immediately bought a pair for her now 9-year-old daughter. Her kids are very particular about the way their socks sit on their feet, and because the zipper on the Billys goes nearly all the way around the top of the shoe, you can flip the shoes open and step right in “without mussing your socks at all,” she says. The brand is beloved for its accessibility for people with mobility issues or who wear corrective devices, and also has lots of colorful patterns and bling-y details, which is a big deal for kids who refuse to wear more muted colors. They are not the longest-lasting sneakers Trolio’s family has tried, but where the sole on her daughter’s Billys wore out more quickly than the soles on other pairs, the glitter held on remarkably well compared to other sparkly shoes they have owned. They come in multiple widths and little kid-size 5 through big-kid size 9. (Billy’s also makes full lines of adult shoes.)
“I know of something like four to five pairs of these in my kids’ immediate orbit,” says Trolio who recently got a pair of Nike Court Borough Mid sneakers for her older daughter, who is an up-and-coming fourth-grader. Trolio’s younger daughter, who is going into second grade, got the low-top version of the shoes in pink and white, and her niece, who is in the same grade, just got a pair of the same low-tops but in blue and black. One functional detail she appreciates is that the little-kid sizes come with elastic laces, so there is no actual tying necessary.
Unlike the less structured, barefoot-style shoes that Shevaun Mackie Doyle, a pediatric orthopedist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, recommends for younger kids, she says that “as they get older and closer to their adult body weight, it’s okay to have a shoe that equally distributes load and absorbs shock,” like a traditional running shoe. As kids enter middle school and pick up track, cross country, or other sports that involve running, she says, these more specialized shoes help prevent stress fractures and calluses. With the same cushioning technology found in the brand’s adult shoes, Asics are a good choice for active kids in this age group. Fauci recommends the Gel-Contend in particular as “a very stable shoe.” It’s available in big-kid sizes 1 through 7.
Both my 11-year-old niece and her grandmother (my mother-in-law) own this pair of On court sneakers. And they have both been wearing them nonstop to play tennis and pickleball this summer. My niece says they are light and comfortable and she likes the subtle pops of color. On makes both kids’ and adult versions of the Roger CH sneaker, but because my MIL has small feet, she bought the kids’ ones to save money. She says they are incredibly comfortable and easy to play in.
Toward the tail end of elementary school, lots of kids will start to prioritize aesthetics in their sneakers. May says that as long as the sneaker fits correctly and is functional, it’s fine to let a kid pick a pair based on looks. According to Doyle, this is true even for the one in five kids who have flat, or collapsed, arches. “Don’t get a shoe to accommodate a flat foot,” she says. “It’s been shown that it’s a normal variant within foot shape.” Adidas Gazelle sneakers, as well as the stylistically similar Adidas Sambas, are a rare trend that successfully spans generations, with everyone from little kids to college students to stylish retirees wearing them well. And they don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. I love the range of colors available that make it easy to make the trend one’s own. These are available in big-kid sizes 3.5 through 7.
Veja sneakers are a popular choice among stylish parents trying to avoid fast fashion and kids trying to look more grown up. The quality and durability of the kids’ sneakers is just as reliable as with the brand’s adult shoes. They last a long time, even on the feet of very active kids. And because the shoes are flexible and lightweight, kids find them comfortable to wear. My son just received a pair of hand-me-down Veja sneakers that he won’t be ready to wear for several years. But to me, they are so cute and such good quality that it’s well worth the wait. The sneakers run from little-kid size 11 through big-kid size 7.
For a no-fuss shoe, Maisonette co-founder Sylvana Ward-Durrett loves Vans slip-ons because, as their name implies, they’re easy for kids to slip on and off. She also notes that “they’re the perfect price point for the wear and tear of the week.” They’re available in all sizes, starting as small as little-kid size 4, and going through the full range of little kid, big kid, and adult sizes, so you can match your child when you feel like twinning.
High-school kids can be the pickiest when it comes to coordinating their outfits during the school year. Iris Adler and Tali Milchberg, co-founders and designers of kids’-clothing brand nununu, say that you can’t go wrong with black Chuck Taylors: “Black All-Star high-tops are classics and always the right choice. They’re cool, laid back, and literally work with anything from a pair of jeans to a fancy dress. The more worn and shabby, the better.” They’re also a favorite of Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega, who is beloved for playing a teen on TV.
Wrangler senior men’s designer William Ortiz’s 14-year-old son Jake is all about Nike and he has an impressive collection. Among his favorites are a range of old-school and new-school Jordans, low Dunks, Air Forces, Waffles, and some of his favorite basketball players’ sneakers, like Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Freak and Immortality Nikes. Ortiz’s favorite pair of the group are these Nike Waffle Debut sneakers because they work with both khakis and a button-down or a sporty pair of shorts.
In addition to Ortiz’s son Jake, dozens of teens have told us how much they love wearing all-white Nike Air Force 1s. The key to these chunky low-top sneakers’ popularity is that they are comfortable, stylish, and pretty affordable for a shoe that’s perennially on trend.
My own teenage nephew, who is going into 11th grade, prefers these silver-and-white Nike running sneakers, as they go well with just about everything and the metallic details feel trendy without going over the top.
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