Barefoot Shoes for Babies: Our Top 5 Picks For Your Little One

Are you looking for the best barefoot shoes for babies? Before babies get to walk, there is still a need to protect their feet. Babies’ feet are soft, sensitive, and in need of protection. However, they also need room to grow and develop naturally. Regular shoes constrict the baby’s foot, which stops the foot from moving the way it is meant to. 

Your baby is discovering new things every day, including how their feet work. When you put your baby in regular shoes, you also restrict them from learning about standing and how to grasp the ground beneath them. Barefoot shoes will give your child’s feet the ability to receive and transmit important sensory information. 

little girls learning to walk with help from a man

As babies grow and learn to walk, they also learn how to react to the ground beneath their feet. When you put them in shoes with hard material, their feet are restricted and hampered from growing in the way they should. Podiatrists encourage children to be allowed to walk barefoot for as long as possible. The nerve endings in their feet are not yet fully formed, and as such, they need to develop further. 

Barefoot Shoes for Babies

Photo Name What We like
Barefoot Shoes for Babies Made from premium suede leather Lightweight with durable sole Offer excellent arch support
Robeez Kids' Slip on Soft Soles Crib Shoe Tend to be roomy to accommodate a growing and developing feet Recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association Offer maximum protection to the developing feet
Robeez Kids' Puppy Love Crib Shoe The ultra-soft lining offers excellent comfort The elasticized ankle create arch support Tend to have adequate space for growing fee
pediped Originals Adrian Sneaker (Infant) Leather sole and material enhance durability Breathable material to prevent toes from sweating Offer excellent comfort due to ultra-soft lining
pediped Girls' Betty Mary Jane Tend to be quite comfortable Has non-slip sole Leather sole to offer protection Breathable lining to prevent toes from sweating

Going barefoot most of the time is great advice, but it is not always safe. It has the downside of however of leaving your baby’s feet vulnerable. Shoes will help protect the baby’s feet. How do you, therefore, get the protection of shoes and the benefits of going barefoot? It is quite simple. The answer is in getting barefoot shoes for your baby. We take a look at all the best barefoot baby shoes on the market and help you decide which ones to buy. 

In a Hurry

Do you need a quick buy to buy the best baby barefoot shoes on the market?  There are a few factors you will need to take into consideration. The first thing to think about is the age of the baby and the size of their foot. You may be confused by babies’ footwear sizes, so you need to get your baby’s foot measured to get the correct size.

Check on the material the shoes are made of. They need to be made of something soft and flexible enough to allow the baby’s foot to move as it pleases within the shoe. Also, check on how the shoe fastens. It needs to be secure enough for the baby not to lose it as they go about their business. Ensure that the shoes are not too easy for the baby to remove.

Our Top Pick

Robeez Kids' Puppy Love Crib Shoe

We have done our homework on the best barefoot shoes for babies and found our favorite pick to be the  Robeez Kids’ Puppy Love Crib Shoe. It has a suede sole and an ultra-flexible canvas upper. The suede sole makes the shoe more durable and also adds a non-slip factor. The shoe is flexible, making it non-constricting and encourages good balance and unrestricted growth, all whilst adding protection for your baby’s feet.  These shoes are roomy enough to accommodate a range of sizes for growing feet and an elasticized ankle, making this baby’s shoe easy to put on and stay on.

Our Shortlist of Barefoot Shoes for Babies

Mejale Baby Infant Toddler Shoes Slip-on Soft Sole Leather Moccasins 

Mejale Baby Infant Toddler Shoes Slip-on Soft Sole Leather Moccasins

Mejale is a shoe company dedicated to providing barefoot shoes for babies and it has been in existence for a couple of decades.

The material behind the construction of the shoes is genuine leather. This implies that the shoe is likely to serve for a couple of years.

The amazing thing with the barefoot shoe is that the inner lining is quite soft to cuddle the baby’s feet and lightweight to make it easier for crawling or walking.

Besides that, the shoe is fitted with an elastic band around the arch to offer maximum support to the baby’s feet. It also makes it easier to put on and take off.

The suede leather sole makes these shoe ideal for indoor and light ground outside. It also provides maximum protection on the baby’s soft tops while learning to walk or crawl.

Lastly, they come in different sizes and colors hence allow parents to get shoes that perfectly meet their tastes and preferences. 

Pros

  • Made from premium suede leather
  • Lightweight with durable sole
  • Offer excellent arch support
  • Offer maximum protection to the baby’s feet

Cons

  • Limited to the indoor and light ground outside
  • Not suitable for washing with machine
  • Sole prone to getting dirty

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Robeez Kids’ Slip on Soft Soles Crib Shoe

Robeez Kids' Slip on Soft Soles Crib Shoe

Robeez is a giant brand shoe company that has been on existence for some centuries and it is dedicated to offering quality products to its customers.

Slip-on soft soles crib shoe is one of the barefoot shoes for babies offered by the company and it is mainly made in the United States of America.

The barefoot shoe is made from high-quality leather and this helps to increase long-lasting experience as the baby’s feet grow and develop.

The suede sole is non-slip to help promote the balance during the learning how to walk process among toddlers. Also, it offers maximum protection to the soft feet of the baby.

Besides that, the shoe is ultra-soft for cuddling the baby’s feet and flexible to easily conform to the shape of the developing feet.

One interesting feature of the barefoot shoe is that it tends to be quite roomy to accommodate any size of the toddler’s feet.

The coloring of the barefoot shoes normally blends well with different clothing fashion meant for the baby. Hence ideal for both casual and official outfit.

Pros

  • Tend to be roomy to accommodate a growing and developing feet
  • Recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association
  • Offer maximum protection to the developing feet
  • Promote good balance and unrestricted growth
  • Ultra-soft upper surface for cuddling 

Cons

  • Tend to be too tight around the ankle
  • Difficult to put on
  • Soft bottom prone to wear and tear
  • Made from low-quality material 

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Robeez Kids’ Puppy Love Crib Shoe 

Robeez Kids' Puppy Love Crib Shoe

The dedication of Robeez Company towards the manufacturing of quality baby shoes is beyond measure. The company works around the clock to meet the needs of their customers.

Puppy love crib shoe is another shoe product offered by Robeez and it has received lots of praises across many forums and social media groups.

The barefoot shoe meant for babies is imported and made from high-quality leather material that increases its durability.

The suede sole is non-slip to promote balance and also flexible to conform to the shape of the growing feet of the toddler.

The ultra-soft inner lining of the barefoot shoe provides warmth and offers excellent comfort. There is no need to worry about the friction that might result in blister formation.

The brown canvas featuring dog prints make the barefoot shoes to stand out from the crowd due to the design and construction style.

The room inside the shoe is excellent and can accommodate any size of the growing toddler’s feet.

Besides that, the elastic ankle helps to keep the feet in position as well as making it simple to put on and take off.

Pros

  • The ultra-soft lining offers excellent comfort
  • The elasticized ankle create arch support
  • Tend to have adequate space for growing feet
  • Recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association

Cons

  • Relatively expensive
  • Not suitable for crawling toddlers
  • Less durable

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pediped Originals Adrian Sneaker (Infant) 

pediped Originals Adrian Sneaker (Infant)

If you are looking for healthy food development barefoot shoes for babies then consider pediped originals Adrian sneaker for infants.

These are among the first toddler footwear to be recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association in the market.

The barefoot shoes are made from high-quality materials that make the shoe to have a long-lasting service to the growing toddler.

The design and craftsmanship of the infant shoe are exceptional. It tends to match perfectly with different fashion styles.

The sole has two layers made from quality leather and they tend to be non-slippery. They have excellent traction and grip on any floor surface.

Besides that, the rubbery nature of the sole offer maximum protection on the developing feet. The flexibility of the sole tends to conform perfectly to the foot shape.

A lot of kids have been reported to love the pair of shoes since it brings out barefoot feel while learning to walk.

Pros

  • Leather sole and material enhance durability
  • Breathable material to prevent toes from sweating
  • Offer excellent comfort due to ultra-soft lining
  • The design and craftsmanship is topnotch
  • Recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association

Cons

  • Highly susceptible to wear and tear
  • Edges tend to be rough on the baby’s feet
  • Stitching tend to be too loose

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pediped Girls’ Betty Mary Jane 

pediped Girls' Betty Mary Jane

Pediped is a great brand when it comes to the production of high-quality barefoot shoes for babies. The company has been in existence for many decades, and it is the reason behind its reputation.

The shoes are made from premium leather, which fosters its durability, and the leather sole offers maximum protection.

Besides that, the leather sole is non-slip which makes it suitable for babies learning how to walk. It helps to promote balance.

The most wonderful thing about the shoes is the adjustable Velcro which helps to ensure the barefoot shoes fit the toddler perfectly.

That’s not all. The shoes have a breathable lining to prevent the toes from sweating and the interior of the shoe is ultra-soft for comfortability.

The barefoot shoes are highly recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association due to the ability to support healthy feet development.

Lastly, these shoes come in different colors to provide wide options to the parents according to their tastes and preferences.

Pros

  • Tend to be quite comfortable
  • Has non-slip sole
  • Leather sole to offer protection
  • Breathable lining to prevent toes from sweating
  • Recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association

Cons

  • Limited to baby girls only
  • The leather tends to be a little harder
  • Not suitable for all-weather
  • Relatively too costly

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Buyer’s Guide

When should you put shoes on a baby?

The best time to buy your baby shoes is when they are walking around confidently. You want your child to have developed the general senses of walking and have an idea of what they ought to be doing and the sensory feedback they should be expecting from their feet. Once they have this, then you can put them in shoes.

The major reason for doing this is that the child knows how to separate the natural reaction from an artificial reaction through synthetic materials such as shoes. Allowing your baby to go barefoot lets your baby learn how to balance on their own and rely on their feet to guide them. As the baby walks around the house, keep them barefoot. However, you can get barefoot shoes when they need to leave the house to be protected. 

Do babies need cruising shoes?

Your child does not need special shoes to help them learn how to walk or do any activities that lead up to confident walking. On the contrary, your child needs to be barefoot as they learn these life skills. 

How do I choose my baby’s first shoes?

Make sure you choose the right fit. Just like with an adult, shoe fit is important. A shoe that is too big or too small is quite uncomfortable even for babies. However, when it comes to babies, an ill-fitting shoe can be less obvious and harder to spot. At this stage, your toddler’s nerve ending may not be completely developed. This means that if the shoes are uncomfortable, they may not feel it. 

Even if your toddler can feel it, they may find it difficult to tell you. Have your child’s feet measured before you buy a shoe. This includes the length and width. Make sure to do the measuring in the afternoon so that you can get the baby’s foot measurements at the foot’s widest.

Most babies’ feet will swell during the day, so if you measure them first thing in the morning, you may get a slightly smaller measurement than they need. Foot experts recommend that the shoe is about 12-16mm longer than the longest toe. 

Should babies wear shoes when learning to walk?

Babies do not need shoes to help them o learn to walk. It is best that they o this barefoot. Their feet still need to develop the necessary muscles to grow. They do this best when shoes do not constrict them. 

How can I help my baby to start walking?

The first thing to always remember is that babies are different, and they have their preferences. Please don’t hold a yardstick up to your child; allow them to grow and develop at their own pace. When it comes to walking, you can encourage your child to do this by placing an object they want at a certain distance that they need to walk to reach. 

Keep placing the object further and further away, just within reach. You can also help your baby by helping them up and practicing walking. This will help strengthen leg muscles and let the child see what it is like to see the world from a higher perspective. They will begin to discover how great it is and what their legs have to offer them.

Conclusion

Babies develop at different paces, and when they begin to walk, most parents get so excited but sometimes have no clue as to what shoes to get them. It is tempting to get miniature versions of your shoe, but you need always to remember that your baby’s feet are still developing and growing, and they need to be supported properly. Help them along with the best barefoot shoes on the market. We hope our review helps you help your baby. Happy shopping!

Hi there. This is Clare. Dave and I manage this site. We are outdoor enthusiasts. Most of the content is about products that we love using or have researched.
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