The Best Beach Shoes for Babies, Toddlers and Kids: A Parent's Complete Guide

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Buying beach shoes for a baby, toddler or child is harder than it looks. Sizing, sole types and materials all affect how a pair performs on sand, in rock pools and around the pool. This guide breaks down what actually matters, so you can buy with confidence and get straight to the fun part: exploring. Have a look at our full Beach Shoes range to see what's currently in stock.

There's a lot on the market, so it helps to know what you're checking for before you buy. Here's what we'd look at:  

Little feet deserve to explore. Sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, slippery poolsides: there's a lot to discover out there, and our Kids Beach Shoes are built to keep up. Made from neoprene and mesh with a rubber sole, they protect against hot sand and sharp stones, help stop slipping at the pool, and come in sizes from 18 to 36 months right through to 5 to 6 years. 

Beach shoes tend to fall into a few camps: lightweight neoprene styles, strap fastened designs, and shoes styled more like sandals with a firmer sole. Lightweight neoprene styles are often the easiest option for younger children, since there's nothing fiddly to fasten when little feet won't sit still. Strap fastened designs can give a more secure fit for active toddlers who tend to kick their shoes off. Sandal style shoes with a firmer sole usually suit older children better, especially on longer walks to and from the beach.

Within our own range, the four colourways of Kids Beach Shoes (Strawberry Field, Turtle Tide, Lilac Spring and Crocodile Swamp) are identical in construction and price at £15.00 each. So the choice really comes down to which one catches your child's eye. All four share the same neoprene and mesh build with a rubber sole, and all come in the same three sizes.

The right pair often depends on what your child's actually doing in them, as well as their age. What suits a toddler paddling in the shallows won't necessarily suit an older child scrambling over rocks.

Very young babies who aren't walking yet don't usually need beach shoes at all. Once your child is confidently on their feet outdoors, a properly fitted shoe starts to matter, which is why our Kids Beach Shoes sizing begins at 18 to 36 months. Those first proper beach trips are special, and getting shoes on and off easily matters just as much as protection. Nobody wants a meltdown over changing shoes at the shoreline.

Older children exploring rock pools get solid protection against sharp stones and shells, but the shoes stay light enough for confident scrambling. Seeing what's under the next rock, chasing the tide out and back in: that's what it's all about. And for pool based activities, like swimming lessons or a trip to the leisure centre, the neoprene dries fast and the rubber sole helps stop slips on wet poolside surfaces.

Planning a full beach day? Pair beach shoes with sun safe clothing such as a Legionnaire sun hat and a UV rash vest to protect the rest of your child's skin. Just remember that UV clothing only protects the areas it covers, so you should still apply sun cream to any skin left exposed.

Not all beach shoes are made equal. A few small details decide whether your child wears a pair all summer or it ends up at the back of the cupboard. Use the table below when you're comparing products.  

Pick a pair with the green flags above and you'll save yourself a repeat purchase and a frustrated toddler by the end of the summer.

We've been designing swimwear and swim accessories that parents and swim schools trust since 2005, and our Kids Beach Shoes get the same care and attention as everything else we make. Got a question about sizing or which colourway your little one will love? Our UK based customer service team is only ever a message away on our Contact Us page. Happy splashing.