Best Toddler Water Shoes

Last Updated: May 19, 2023 @ 2:01 pm.

Best Budget-Friendly Toddler Water Shoe: Bigib Toddler Kids Swim Water Shoes

As parents, we know—toddlers grow out of their shoes when you leave the room for five minutes. We always gravitate towards shoes that are easy on the wallet, yet comfortable and lightweight.

We tried out several different pairs of shoes that were budget-friendly and ended up picking Bigib’s water shoes as the winner. These shoes had the quality features we look for, without breaking the bank.

What We Liked

• Smooth neck = not scratchy! 

• Supportive fit. We liked the fabric uppers with overlays—they fit well.

• Slip resistant rubber sole.

• Super cute patterns. There are 10 designs to choose from.

• Affordable!

• Machine washable. And the shoes include a carry bag.

What Needs Work

• Sizing can run small.

• Not great for walking on rocks. These are great for the pool, not as good for tide pooling at a beach.

Best Lightweight Toddler Water Shoe: Amazon Essentials EVA Water Shoe

Weight is important when it comes to toddler water shoes—that’s one key piece of feedback we heard over and over again from our kid testers (and their parents). The lighter the weight, the happier the toddler when it comes to water shoes.

These water shoes weigh 2.56 ounces! Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Sneaker-like thick sole is great for adventures on rocks, such as tide pooling on beaches.

• Slip-on style.

• Easy to clean.

• Lightweight. Yes, just two and a half ounces. That’s rather amazing.

• Perforations = air flow. This helped the shoes dry quickly in our tests.

• Gender neutral options.

What Needs Work

• Harder to put on than others we tested. Not impossible, but slip-on style water shoes take a bit more effort—parents may need to help a toddler at first.

Cutest Toddler Water Shoe: mysoft Kids Water Shoes

As parents of kids who once were toddlers, we know—getting a toddler to buy-in when it comes to shoes is important. And toddlers are more likely to want to wear water shoes if they pick the design.

For those folks, we recommend mysoft’s water shoes. These good quality water shoes have 30+ patterns to choose from, including those ever popular sharks, unicorns and dinosaurs. Happy toddler = happy family.

What We Liked

• Elastic neck helps them stay on.

• Anti-slip rubber sole.

• Lightweight stretch fabric that dried quickly in our tests.

• Affordable.

• Easy to put on and take off.

Best Toddler Water Shoe Sock-Style: JIASUQI Kids Boys and Girls Summer Athletic Water Shoes

Spandex, breathable sock-style water shoes are a kid favorite, especially for younger toddlers who find them more comfortable than other more structured water shoes. That’s what our tests revealed when we tried out several popular sock-style water shoes.

When it came down to comfort at an affordable price, we thought JIASUQI’s water shoes were the best of the best. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Rubber outer sole for grip.

• Machine washable.

• Ultra-thin spandex fabric = more comfort.

• Super cute designs—from plain solid colors to whimsical styles with whales and other cute patterns.

• Affordable.

• Quick drying.

What Needs Work

• Sizing runs small.

• Insoles aren’t sewn in, so they can move around a bit.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing gear for kids and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward safety, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100 % reader-supported!