When my daughter was younger, she would don a new pair of summer shoes on that first hot day in May. And I would pry them off her feet sometime in late September. If they weren’t falling to pieces I was pleasantly surprised.
Kids’ summer shoes have to play a lot of roles: I needed them to go from camp, to the playground sprinklers and the beach, to a nice dinner out on vacation. She wanted them to be comfortable and to look good. Schools and camps often want closed-toes and non-skid soles.
Finding shoes for girls is harder because durable and cute is a taller order than it should be.
Here are sport sandals, water shoes and sneakers for tots, kids and even tweens that will see you through the summer, regardless of what your youngsters do to them.
They’re all meant to get wet and wash easily. They’re not all inexpensive, but all offer good value for their price.
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Close-Toe Sport Sandals
Kamik Kids Crab
I love these Kamik Crab sport sandals because they are the perfect sandal-sneaker hybrid. They are sporty and sturdy and come in colors that girls like, but that aren’t over-the-top pink.
Shown here as toddler shoes, they come in kid and big-kid sizes, too.
The rubber toe will pass muster with school and camps. Bungee laces and an adjustable ankle strap make it easy for kids to take them on and off. And the synthetic webbing upper will keep feet cool and dry fast.
Closed-toe Sport Sandals for Boys
Kamik Kids
The Kamik Seaturtle sport sandals are a bit less sneaker-like than the Crabs.
They are the most open sport sandals of this bunch. But they still have protective covered toes, outdoor-ready soles and quick-dry, water-resistant uppers.
They run from toddler to big kid. And three Velcro straps make them easy for big and little kids to take on and off.
They come in decidedly girl colors and boy colors.
Closed-Toe Sport Sandals for Girls or Boys
Columbia Kids Techsun Wave
Columbia’s Techsun Waves are the most sneaker-like of the sport sandals.
They have Columbia’s lightweight and supportive, water-resistant soles. And a Velcro strap keeps the bungee lace in place.
In addition to purple, they come in salmon pink, purple, black, gray and several shades of blue; something for everyone.
Open-Toe Sport Sandals For Girls
Native Charley Sandals
Native shoes are always cute, practical and vegan. These Charley sandals are one of the few sports sandals I’ve seen that I think older girls and tweens would wear.
These blue or pink summer shoes have a molded, water-resistant foot bed, made-for-play grippy soles and two adjustable straps to keep them secure when kids remember they aren’t too old to run, jump and climb just yet.
Better still, when you’re done with them, return them to Native to be recycled into playground equipment.
There’s also a sugarlite Charley sandal for little sisters that comes in fun irridescent hues.
Lightweight Summer Sneakers For Girls and Boys
Columbia Drainmaker XTR
Columbia loves patenting new clothing technology. The Drainmaker is designed to be a sneaker that drains water and dries quickly.
So kids can stomp through streams and puddles and with dry feet.
These soles are also designed to be light, springy and supportive to take kids from backyard play to hiking.
It also comes in pink, black and dark blue.
They’re perfect for sleep-away camp and families that do a lot of camping.
Merrell Hydro Glove Sneakers
Merrell’s Hydro water shoes have gone through a lot of iterations as my child has grown; some better than others.
This latest version brings this summer shoe closer to the hiking shoes Merrell is known for.
They have trail-ready extra-grip soles and toe bumpers, along with quick-dry uppers and the bungee-Velcro combination kids like.
They come in seven colors, so your child should find one they like.
Native Jefferson Slip-on Sneakers
At some point, Native’s Jefferson slip-on water sneakers overtook Crocs as the most popular summer shoe on my neighborhood playground. And they’ve held their ground ever since.
They’re vegan, odor-resistant, easy to slip on and off and even easier to rinse off.
They come in several bright solid colors for all ages. The Sugarlite variation that’s specifically for toddlers has fun patterns.
They’re among the best summer shoes young kids and can also be recycled into playgound equipment.
Croc-Alternatives For Girls & Boys
Adidas Water Sandals
If these Adidas water sandals were available when my teen was a tot, I think I would have bought them every summer.
They’re made of water-resistant synthetic that can get wet all summer long.
Plus, they have a Velcro close to keep them secure and a padded inner sole for extra support and cushioning when kids are running, climbing or jumping.
And, you just can’t resist the classic Adidas-sneaker style, which comes in five colors including pink.
Merrell Kids Hydro Moc
Here’s another iteration of Merrell’s Hydro line, and probably the most exotic-looking of the bunch.
I like these Hydro Mocs for little kids because they offer all the ventilation, water-resistance and easy care that Crocs do. But they cover kids’ feet more and stay on more securely.
Flip-flops For Kids
Reef Kids Little Ahi
I’m not a big fan of flip-flops for kids, but they sure are handy around the pool and at the beach.
Reef Kids Little Ahis are not flimsy and have a strap on in the back to keep kids from walking out of them.
They come in a range of fun summery colors and patterns.
Summer Shoes for Tween Girls
Toms Slip-on Sneakers
Older kids and tweens love Toms Alpargata slip-ons that are lighter and less hot than sneakers on hot summer days.
They have a bit more support than basic Toms and you can toss them in the washing machine when they get dirty.
They come in appealing colors and look just a little less casual than most lace-up sneakers.
Technically they’re unisex shoes, so it’s possible boys will like a color they like, too.
Salt-Water Sandals
Teen Traveler has been wearing faux leather Salt Water sandals since middle school.
They’re super handy for beach and cruise vacations. She can wear them to the pool and beache, put them on with wet feet and get sand and salt water on them all day long.
Then at night she can wipe the sand off and they are the perfect cute casual sandal to wear with a sundress.
She doesn’t like the soles for day-to-day citywear. But for beaches and resorts they’re perfect.
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