I have been getting several requests from families in the United Kingdom to help them find the correct pair of shoes for their children with flat feet. Some of these children in addition to having flat feet also have “complicated” foot shapes (narrow, extra wide) that makes it even more challenging to find shoes that fit.
I am located in the United States, and the biggest challenge is that some of the shoes available in the United States are not available in the United Kingdom. That is the reason why I decided to create a list of the best kids’ shoes in the UK for flat feet based on the child’s specific foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep).
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Ideal for Children with Flat Feet?
The shoes I recommend provide substantial outsoles, firm heel counters, and straight lasts, to help improve your child’s foot posture and walking gait.
1️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature provides a stable base of support and helps prevent your child’s flat feet from collapsing and turning inwards, improving your child’s foot posture and walking gait.
2️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: This feature helps prevent your child’s ankles from rolling inwards, supporting and protecting your child’s heels.
3️⃣ Straight Lasts: This feature helps align your child’s feet, improving your child’s foot posture and walking gait.
I always recommend that parents take their children to be properly fitted for shoes at their local shoe store. The issue is that parents across the country are increasingly ordering their children’s shoes online—unfortunately, without the benefit of proper shoe fittings—because most specialty children’s shoe stores nationally are closing their doors.
Read This Before Buying Your Kids’ Shoes Online
If you don’t order the correct shoe size online your child won’t get the full benefits that the shoes have to offer.
Shoes that are too big allow the feet to move too much inside the shoes, and the feet are no longer supported by the shoes. On the other hand, shoes that are too small might cramp your kids’ toes and lead to blisters, calluses, and corns.
Keep in mind that shoes with shoelaces provide bettersupport and stability compared to shoes with velcro closure. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Kids’ Shoes in the UK for Flat Feet
Click on the image of each shoe to find out the style name and number. If that specific model is sold out you should go to your local shoe store and check if that specific shoe style is available there.
Toddler Sizes (0 to 10)
- Shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite
- Fits narrow, medium, and wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- Leather made
- Firm heel counters
- Substantial outsoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Rishon Sneaker by Geox
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- Firm heel counters
- Substantial outsoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Rex Park T by Clarks
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- Firm heel counters
- Substantial outsoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Pokey Pine H L by Timberland
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- Firm heel counters
- Substantial outsoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style J Alben E by Geox
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- Firm heel counters
- Substantial outsoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Melody Lightly by Superfit
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Firm heel counters
- Supportive midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Velcro closure
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Little/Big Kid Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Shoe style Pouty Mary Janes by Skechers
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Firm heel counter with extra cushion and support below the heels
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Gore-tex by Superfit
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Double velcro straps to help improve the child’s stability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Rush by Superfit
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Supportive midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Double velcro straps to help improve the child’s stability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Water Resistant by UOVO
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Firm heel counters
- Water resistant and breathable leather
- Triple velcro closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 10 Shield a/C by Saucony
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Firm heel counters
- Velcro closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 by New Balance
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Firm heel counters
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Peregrine 11 by Saucony
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Firm heel counters
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Peregrine 11 by Saucony
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Firm heel counters
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Peregrine 11 by Saucony
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Firm heel counters
- Lace-up closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Gt-1000 11 by ASICS
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Gt-1000 11 by ASICS
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Can’t Find Your Child’s Shoe Size?
If none of these shoes are available in your child’s foot size I suggest that you email me at: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com so I can provide you with different shoe recommendations.
What a Difference the Correct Types of Shoes Can Make!
Let’s take a look at an image of a flat footed child standing barefoot. Do you notice how the child’s feet are out of alignment?
Now let’s take a look at an image of the same child wearing a pair of the supportive shoes I recommend. Do you notice how the child’s feet are a lot straighter? The substantial outsole and heel counter of the shoes are preventing the child’s feet from collapsing and turning inwards.
Wow! What a difference the correct types of shoes can make!
Can Supportive Shoes Make Your Child’s Feet Weaker?
When you fit your child in a pair of supportive shoes you are not making the muscles weak, you are simply providing your child with a stable base of structural support which is not going to take away from the musculature.
I believe that supportive shoes are like glasses for your child’s feet. For example, children who have bad eyes have to wear glasses, does it cure your child’s eyes? No, but it makes your child see better and function normally.
Some children with flat feet need to wear orthotics inside their shoes for extra support and stability.
Does Your Child Need Orthotics as Well?
This depends on the degree of your child’s flat feet (how flat the foot is) and whether your child is experiencing foot or leg pain. I usually prefer to start by fitting the child in a pair of good supportive shoes and monitoring whether the child’s foot posture and walking gait improves.
If you believe that your child can benefit from wearing an orthotic right away then you will be able to fit the orthotic in all of the shoes I recommended, as they provide removable insoles and extra depth.
Final Thoughts
Just because your child doesn’t complain about pain, that doesn’t mean that your child doesn’t have a treatable condition.
Many families from the United Kingdom are confused as to what to do about their children’s flat feet. Some of these families are told to wait until the child is a certain age before taking action. It’s a fact that children can develop arches until the age of five, but this doesn’t mean that you should leave your child’s flat feet untreated.
The earlier you start taking action, the better. Keep in mind that leaving your child’s flat feet untreated might produce a problem sometime later in life.
I will be creating more resources for those families who live in the United Kingdom to help them find the perfect pair of shoes for their children. Let me know in the comment section below if you are looking for a specific shoe style for your child’s feet or if you have any further questions.
