Shoe Recs?

I always get one cheap version of every essential type of shoe each season.
Fall/winter for my 2 and 1/2 year old daughter:

1 pair dress shoes (little slip on flats of some sort). Got some cute glittery ones at Wal Mart $2.99.
1 Pair wet weather rubber boots (found some cute ones in sale rack at Old Navy $7.00),
1 pair of warm boots (found some cute ones at Target $19.00),
1 pair of sneakers (found some on sale at the mall $9.99).

Get a couple of pairs of tights so she can wear boots with skirts.

With these options, she always has the right shoe for whatever the weather, and whatever she's wearing, whatever she's doing. keep it cheap and simple since they only last one season!

For a boy, I'd do one pair sneakers (slip on style like Vans), one pair boots, one pair rubber boots, one pair dress shoes.

Good luck!

I buy most of my kids shoes at Wal-mart or Payless. Wal-mart has some cute options that are "play" shoes, but aren't really tennis shoes. Payless has a few options for shoes, and for the younger kids most of them seem to be velcro nowadays. It actually seems harder to find lace-up shoes.

I have always been told that Stride Rites are the best shoes for young feet. The come in narrow, medium, wide and extra wide, and are created specifically for childrens' feet. There is an outlet in Lancaster that has Stride Rites at up to half the cost. You could get velcro for something easier as well. Good luck!

I love the Koala Kids shoes at Babys R US. They have 2 velcro strips, are easy to put on and come in many colors. I love crocs too and they are just as easy and cost about $15 but usually are on sale. They sell them at department stores too.

I only have daughters so i cannot really help with boy advice...but for your little girl...tiny fuzzy boots that slip on are so cute for winter :-) Santa actually went a little crazy here last year and got even the tiniest girl uggs. They do make some mock ones very cheap also.

Mary Janes all the way. Get in black easier to match everything. Yes a pair of boots, fuzzy inside.

I would check out Lands End.com (or go to sears since they carry L.E. products). I have had a lot of succeess with LE shoes for both myself and my boys. The shoes for little girls are adorable! Mary Jane-type styles...that can be worn with jumpers (easy on/off).

Good luck!

I just got really cure light brown Mary Jane type shoes for my 16 month old at Kohls, they are adorable with jumpers and jeans or cords. I also got my son a pair of shoes that were velcro with the laces that don't need to be tied. They are sporty and can go with a nice pair of khakis and sweater too. Prices were reasonable and I think they are having a sale this weekend.

I feel your pain losing the independance with the Crocs. It was great all summer to tell my 2yr and 3yr old to put them on. Target has TONS of super cute, very reasonable shoes. I just got my daughter velcro mary janes there. She can do them herself and they go with almost everything. They also have brown suade shoes with elastic for boys, super cute too, and can go with most everything.

My son (5) and daughter (8) both LOVE their Crocs. Last fall/winter we purchased them both the fleece lined Crocs and they LOVED them! They were warm and didn't look dumb with socks.

There are a few brands which I like. I usually by shoes for my kids from zappos because they have a large selection and it is easy with the shipping. For little kids, the Jumping Jacks are great. They are not expensive and they wear well. Other brands are Umi, Agatha Ruiz, Primigi, Garvalin.
I don't know if in your area you have an Olly shoes store. They have a few of these brands and others which are good.

Hi

I have always bought Bibi and Geox shoes/sneakers. They are super fexible and hold up wonderful! They are a little bit on the pricey side but after your child outgrows them and if they are in decent shape they can be sold on ebay for more than $15.

see zappos.com

My daughter (3 in Jan) LOVES sketchers and stride rite...well she loves sketchers, and I recently bought a pair of SR brown shoes for when she wears jumpers and dresses - though she loves wearing them with her jeans too! Last year she had a pair of cowgirl boots from Target that she loved...and of course snow boots...perhaps she just loves shoes!
I like the Sketchers & SR because they have a simple velcro closure, but they looked laced and buckled respectively. Good luck! HTH

My triplets just turned 4 and they will be in velcro straps for as long as my conscience will allow it! LOL Since I have to buy shoes 3 at a time I go to Walmart, Target and KMart when they have the "buy 1, get 1 1/2 off" sale. I wish they all did those sales! For winter you can try to find more of a boot sneaker for your son that has a hint of non-sneaker look, a bit more "dressy". They're rugged but don't look as casual on days when you want to toss on khaki pants. For my one daughter, I find a slip on type sneaker that doesn't look as much like a sneaker, usually white so it'll go with everything, and not the chunky style but more of a thin/narrow look so it will look better with her dresses. I don't buy flat out dress shoes for my kids because they'd never or rarely have the need to wear them and at their age they're going to trash them quickly with play and grow out of them too fast compared to my older kids.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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A.,
I too had my son in CROCS but NEVER again. They are so dangerous and all he did was trip and fall in them all the time. So, I went to Target and found cute brown shoes that are elastic along the top. No laces and easy to get on and off. He walks so much better in them too. Wal-Mart has good shoes and Stride Rite does as well but they are a bit more expensive.
Good luck
Christina

es.

I have only worn Robeez footwear on my kiddo. They are the best! so comfortable and best of all they are good for their feet. They have soft-soled for babies and one with tredz. They are great! website, www.robeez.com and their are a few stores in Lancaster that sell them as well.

With my first, I went to Stride Rite, and while they have nice shoes I find them very expensive and they also didn't work well for a child with wider feet. I honestly buy most of my kids' shoes at Payless (especially during the BOGO sales). Some of the shoes are more style-focused (like sparkly shoes for the older girls, especially), but they also have really nice fitting and supportive shoes (called Smart Fit I think) that have worked really well even when they were learning to walk. Many have velcro as well, so it makes them easy to put on and off. Target also sometimes has decent shoes at a fair price.

I remember reading when my older dd was a toddler, that the kids brand of Shoes at Payless are actually rated as excellent shoes for children. I have always liked the shoes I have gotten there, never had complaints regarding them from the kids, etc.

I bought my older dd Nike sneakers last year when her other ones wore out (she LIVES in sneakers) & every other day she complained that her feet hurt. They just were not the right shoe for her. She does much better in the LL Bean sneakers we got her. So...for me, it is not about the money as much as that the shoe fits correctly & supports their specific foot.

And...for suggestions, I just got my two little ballet flats at Target. They had sizes for my tiny almost 3 yr old & the 8 yr old, tons of patterns to choose from. The little ones have an extra elastic band across to help them stay on & she loves them, can put them on herself.

I also have some mary jane style shoes for her that have velcro buckles I picked up a Kohl's in the Spring on clearance. They are very structured like a sneaker but more casual/dressy looking for her prettier outfits. And she can do those as well.

Sketchers makes alot of slip on shoes and they also have a great variety. My girls love them and my youngest wears alot of dresses.

I am a boring mom. My kids don't wear crocs. My kids wear sneakers. Almost all the time. I like them because they have arch supports, they provide ankle support and they are flexible and comfortable. I would be inclined to have a "nice clean pair" and a play pair if I felt a need to have fancier shoes, other than for dress-up. You can always buy them with velcro if you want easy on and off.

I've liked the Land's End kids shoes they sell at Sears (or Land's End.com or catalog) They have cute suede slip ons that are cute!

there is such a thing as "mammoth crocs" which are the crocs with the fur in them - i personally have them from last year and LOVE them and both my kids will have them this year - if you are looking for a cheaper version - they have them at childrens place for like $12.50 and good quality.

S. w.

Merrells. They are well built, can be slipped on by the child, offer great support to the feet, and are dressier than a sneaker.

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with Stride Rite's...

good luck! :)