Watching your child try to shimmy into too-tight shoes is painful for any parent to watch. Seeing how much wide and extra-wide shoes cost, if you can find them, is just as agonizing. Shoes that fit boys and girls with wide feet are scarce at discount shoe stores and big box retailers. Parents must look for specialty stores, either brick-and-mortar or online, to purchase wide sneakers and shoes for their children.
Following are some online stores that sell affordable extra wide and wide shoes for kids. While the shoe stores listed below aren’t the cheapest around, customers report their shoes offer a good value for the price.
Stride Rite for Wide Feet
For toddlers and young kids with wide feet, Stride Rite provides well-made shoes that will fit as well as flatter. Prices are about 50 percent more than discount stores (one of the bestselling toddler shoe on Stride Rite’s website sells for $50), but, according to customer reviews on the company’s website, the shoes’ quality makes up for the higher cost.
Stride Rite’s selection of wide and extra-wide shoes is extensive, in toddler and big boys’ and girls’ sizes. Need help determining your child’s shoe size and width? Print out the sizing chart on Stride Rite’s website (under “Sizing Help”) and use it to measure foot length and width. Plug the numbers in back at the website and Stride Rite will provide you with the optimal size.
Stride Rite Rave: As numerous reviewers note, Stride Rite extra-wide shoes are the only brand that will fit some kids with big feet. Also, their wide sizes include their dress shoes as well as their athletic and casual styles. Stride Rite Rant: If only they continued their product line into larger sizes to fit teenagers. Men’s and women’s extra-wide shoes are expensive.
New Balance Shoes for Kids
Need cleats, running shoes, or sturdy outdoor sandals in wide sizes for your boy or girl? The Shop New Balance online store offers a good selection of wide athletic shoes for kids (alas, the site lists only a handful of extra-wide versions in little and big kid sizes, however). Again, the New Balance kids’ shoes will set you back more than the average sneaker from Wal-Mart or Target, with most of the boys’ athletic shoes in the $40 to $60 range.
New Balance Rant: Not enough extra-wide athletic shoes. New Balance Rave: Once your child grows into adult sizes, a greater variety of wide sizes awaits at Shop New Balance, although at a much higher price.
Lands’ End Wide Shoes
Lands’ End kids’ shoes come in classic and sporty designs, and are priced near or below discount store prices when placed on sale, which happens frequently. A few of each season’s styles come in wide (but not extra-wide) sizes. Lands’ End includes a handy printable size chart on its website to help determine the correct size and width.
Lands’ End Rave: Quality shoes in classic styles. Lands’ End Rant: Very few kids’ shoe styles come in wide widths.
Find the Perfect Shoe? Buy It in Multiple Sizes
You’ve found the dream shoe for your child: it fits her wide foot, looks great, and is well crafted. Stock up on a few sizes if you think your child won’t get tired of the style. Toddlers and kids feet grow quickly, and shoe makers may discontinue or change a favorite style just at the time when your child has outgrown her cherished pair.
Judith Zwolak - Judy is a mother of two and a freelance writer living in South Dakota. Raised by notoriously frugal parents, she comes by her family ...
