How to Choose the Best Sandals for Toddlers & First Walkers

Choosing your little one's first pair of sandals can be surprisingly confusing.

There are SO many options — thick soles, thin soles, soft shoes, hard shoes, slip-ons, enclosed sandals, barefoot-style shoes... where do you even start?

When you're shopping for sandals for toddlers and first walkers, cute is definitely important (we LOVE cute shoes!), but there are a few other things worth looking for too.

Here are some of the things we consider when designing our Jelly Welly children's footwear.

1. Look for a Flexible Sole

Little feet move A LOT.

A toddler shoe shouldn't feel like a heavy block attached to their foot.

When you're looking at first walker sandals, pick the shoe up and gently flex the sole with your hands. You want a sole that can bend rather than one that feels extremely hard and rigid.

At Jelly Welly, flexibility has always been incredibly important to us.

Our Jelly Sandals have a beautifully flexible sole designed to move comfortably with busy little feet.

2. Give Little Toes Enough Room

Have a look at the front of the sandal.

Little toes need enough space to sit comfortably without feeling squashed together.

This is why we love a wide, comfortable toe area in toddler footwear.

It gives growing little feet room inside the shoe while they're walking, climbing, running and doing approximately 4,000 other things before lunchtime. 😂

3. Lightweight Is Your Friend

Imagine learning to walk with two heavy shoes strapped to your feet.

No thanks!

For toddlers and children who are still becoming confident walkers, we prefer footwear that feels lightweight and comfortable rather than unnecessarily bulky.

Our Jelly Sandals were designed with exactly this in mind — they're incredibly light on little feet.

4. Choose a Secure Fastening

Toddler shoes have an impressive ability to disappear.

One minute they're on.

The next minute you're retracing your steps through the shopping centre looking for a tiny shoe. 😂

A secure fastening helps keep sandals comfortably in place.

Our Jelly Sandals use an easy Velcro fastening, making them secure on little feet while still being quick for parents to get on and off.

And if you have a fiercely independent toddler who insists on doing EVERYTHING themselves, they may even be able to practise putting them on too.

5. Consider What They're Actually Going to Do in Them

This is a BIG one.

Think about your child's normal day.

Are they going to daycare?

Playing outside?

Going to the beach?

Running through sprinklers?

Playing in sand?

Getting absolutely filthy five minutes after you've dressed them?

Probably all of the above. 😂

For everyday toddler footwear, practicality matters.

That's why waterproof and washable toddler sandals can be incredibly handy.

Our Jelly Welly sandals can be easily wiped or washed clean, making them perfect for daycare, water play, beach days, holidays and everyday adventures.

6. Make Sure You're Buying the Right Size

Buying children's shoes several sizes too big so they'll "grow into them" can be tempting.

But bigger isn't always better.

A shoe that's excessively large can move around on the foot and make walking less comfortable.

Measure your child's feet and check the brand's individual shoe size guide before ordering, because sizing can vary between brands.

And don't forget — measure BOTH feet!

It's completely normal for one foot to be slightly different in size.

What About Pre-Walkers?

For babies who aren't walking yet, barefoot time in a safe environment is often all they need.

Once your little one begins cruising, taking their first steps and exploring different environments, you may start looking for footwear to protect their feet when they're outside.

That's when parents often begin searching for pre-walker shoes and first walker sandals.

Look for something lightweight, flexible and comfortable that suits your child's individual stage of development.

If you ever have concerns about your child's feet, walking or development, speak with an appropriate health professional for individual advice.

Our Toddler Sandal Checklist

When we're looking at footwear for little feet, these are some of our favourite features:

♡ Flexible sole
♡ Lightweight construction
♡ Room for little toes
♡ Secure fastening
♡ Comfortable fit
♡ Easy to put on and remove
♡ Practical for everyday play
♡ Washable is a HUGE bonus

And obviously...

They have to be SERIOUSLY CUTE. ♡

Meet Jelly Welly Jelly Sandals

We've been developing our Jelly Welly Jelly Sandals since 2019, creating samples and refining our materials, flexibility and fit.

We wanted to take the nostalgic jelly sandal we remembered as kids and create something completely different for today's little feet.

The result?

Super soft. Flexible. Lightweight. Waterproof. Washable. Wide and comfortable.

And yes...

They smell like candy. 🍭

Made for daycare mornings, beach days, first adventures and those busy little feet that NEVER seem to stop.

Shop Toddler & First Walker Jelly Sandals in Australia

Discover Jelly Welly Jelly Sandals for babies, toddlers and little walkers, available in gorgeous colours for little feet and BIG adventures. ♡

Jelly Welly Australia