6 Best Baby Walking Shoes, According to Parents

In a nutshell:

Based on in-depth research and survey data from 350 members of The Bump community, we selected the Stride Rite Waverly Sneaker as the overall best baby walking shoe. Designed for healthy development, it boasts foot-friendly features and also earned the APMA seal of acceptance.

Almost every parent will tell you their world is flipped upside down once their baby starts walking. After all, it’s one of the most monumental milestones in your child’s life—and once they start toddling around, they can be hard to keep up with. Although many parents add shoes to baby’s ensemble from the get-go, finding the best walking shoes for your little one isn’t necessary until they actually start walking. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you allow your child to practice walking barefoot first. Their tiny feet aren’t fully developed yet, and learning to grip the floors and coordinate their steps with little or no support helps with balance and coordination.

Once your child has mastered the art of balancing—and you feel comfortable enough to go outside for a walk—shopping for baby’s first walking shoes is your next step. Making the walking experience safe (but exciting!) should be every parent’s top priority. The best baby walking shoes will protect your kiddo’s feet from any hard or unsafe terrain outside, while also keeping their teeny tiny feet supported.

How We Chose the Best Baby Walking Shoes

As your infant reaches new milestones, they’ll need the right footwear to support their many steps to come. We took the following steps to select the best shoes for your little rambler:

• We reached out to non-editorial staff at TKWW, asking a wide range of parents about their experiences buying baby walking shoes for their kids.
• We surveyed 350 members of The Bump community, asking parents about the baby walking shoes they used, asking them to rate brands based on their experience.
• To make sure we’re highlighting infant footwear that’s safe and effective, we followed guidelines from the AAP and looked for seals of acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).
• Lastly, to understand how these baby walking shoes have worked for a variety of children nationwide, we conducted exhaustive market research, scouring forums and message boards and reading user reviews.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read about how The Bump develops and reviews all articles, including product reviews.

Best Baby Walking Shoes, According to Parents

*Note: Some names have been changed due to privacy requests.

What To Look For in Baby Walking Shoes

Feeling overwhelmed when stepping foot in the infant footwear aisle, or scrolling through hundreds of options from online retailers? Don’t fret—we’ve got you covered. Keep the following aspects in mind when shopping for baby’s first walking shoes:

• Mesh or leather material for breathability. Find a good-quality, soft-leather or cloth-topped first walking shoe that allows airflow to sweaty little toes. Stiff materials hinder the growth and development of baby’s feet. Some options also have antimicrobial footbeds to keep kicks fresh and smelly odors at bay.

• Lightweight, flexible design to allow natural movement. Pinch the top of baby’s walking shoes while the shoe is on; if you can’t grab any material it may be too tight. Flexible materials mimic baby’s bare feet to allow natural movement as they walk.

• Traction to prevent sliding or slipping. Baby’s first shoes should have grooves on the bottom to help your little one learn to walk and balance. Many hard-bottom baby walking shoes have rubber non-skid soles with ridges that give great traction to your wobbly walker.

How to Fit Baby Walking Shoes

The first baby walking shoes you buy should protect your little one’s developing toes with comfort and flexibility. Babies have lots of fatty padding on the bottoms of their feet that makes them relatively flat-footed; so unlike slip-on baby shoes, walking shoes should be tested for fit before purchase. We recommend spending some time shopping at an actual shoe store to get assistance from trained staff who will take measurements for the right fit. However, here are two tests you can try yourself:

• Thumb test. Once you get the shoe on your little one’s foot, press your thumb sideways at the very tip of the shoe. There should be roughly half an inch—or a thumb’s width—of space between the tip of the shoe and your child’s longest toe.

• Heel test. A comfortable but snug fit is what you should be looking for. The heel should fit perfectly against the back of the shoe. If the heel pinches, it means the shoe is too small, while a heel that easily slides out means the shoe may be a size too big. You can confirm the right fit for the best baby walking shoes by inserting your pinkie into the heel; it should just squeeze in when baby’s toes are pushed to the front of the shoe.

First Walker Shoes: Dos and Don’ts

The best walking shoes for babies should be snug, meaning they won’t slip around too much, even if baby is in the beginning stages of perfecting their stride. Once you take the shoe off, keep an eye out for any red marks—these mean the shoe is too tight. Below, some more dos and don’ts—as well as some pointers from the AAP on what to look for in the best baby walking shoes.

• Do pick something comfortable, as this is the most important aspect of finding baby’s first walking shoes. If your child is limping or on their tippy toes, that may mean the shoe is uncomfortable. After all, a young baby can’t tell you whether their shoes are fitting correctly, so observing physical cues is your best bet.

• Don’t buy used walking shoes for babies; they’ve likely molded to the feet of their original owner. It can be harmful to the development of baby’s feet to wear hand-me-down shoes. Form and fit are critical when it comes to baby’s first walking shoes, and footwear fits every child differently.

• Do pick an ankle-cut or high-top first baby walking shoe secured with laces, snaps or Velcro. Low-cut or slip-on shoes make it easier for a rambunctious tot to kick off or remove the shoes. You want to look for good baby walking shoes that are easy to put on but hard to slip off—not only for your sanity’s sake, but for the safety of your child, who may be prone to tripping for a while.

• Don’t shop early in the morning. Try to shop later in the day when baby’s feet swell and are at their biggest. Parents have found that baby walking shoes purchased in the morning have a tighter fit later in the evening.

About the writer:

Martina Garvey is an editor at The Bump, where she writes and edits e-commerce content for pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. Over a nine plus year career in educational publishing and digital media, Martina has developed a keen eye for detail and robust reporting skills. As a staff member on The Bump for over four years, she leverages an in-depth knowledge of must-have baby gear alongside a passion for the latest fashion trends to create informative and shoppable content parents can trust.