The 8 Best Kids Water Shoes and Waterproof Sandals of 2025

The Aleader Kid’s XDrain Classic Knit Water Shoes have an appealing look and an intriguing design, with synthetic knit uppers and cushiony soles with drainage holes. But the textile upper showed dirt immediately, and Aleader recommends against putting them in the washing machine. This made them hard to keep clean.

The popular-on-Amazon Centipede Demon Kids Water Shoes and Joinfree Kids Water Shoes are nearly identical to the Jiasuqi Kids Water Shoes, which are worth considering, but the Centipede Demon and Joinfree pairs come in a smaller range of sizes, and more of their available colors feature hook-and-loop closures, which we didn’t like as much as sock-style slip-on water shoes.

The Merrell Big Kid’s Hydro 2 Sandal is similar to our top pick, the Keen Kids’ Newport H2, with ample rubber toe protection and a hook-and-loop fastening system. But the bungee laces aren’t adjustable, and some of our testers said that the stiff tongue of the shoe pressed into their ankles. Its toe box is about a half inch narrower than the Newport H2, so toes can’t splay out as comfortably in these shoes.

My daughters found the Merrell Big Kid’s Hydro Quest shoes to be very comfortable, with a soft insole and stretchy synthetic upper. But they run narrow and long, so it may be hard to find the right size for your kid. They also come in only three colors.

Two of our testers, ages 5 and 2, suffered painful break-in blisters with the Native Chase sandals, but they liked the way they looked. After the blisters healed, they became a favored daily shoe, but they’re not as sturdy as the Native Jefferson style for running around. They could be a good fashion-forward waterproof sandal option for a kid who’s willing to break them in.

The Plae Sam 2-0 Sandal did well in our testing, proving to be comfortable and relatively quick-drying. It’s also machine-washable. But it comes in only three colors, and our older testers weren’t drawn to the look.

We tried the See Kai Run Aven Mini and found that, while it was a struggle to get on a wiggly toddler’s foot, it was a great shoe. See Kai Run is discontinuing this shoe. The company told us the Wilder II is similar, but as of July 2025 we haven’t tested it.

Our littlest tester did well in the Stride Rite Wade shoes on a cool day at the beach, but overall they felt too bulky and structured for most poolside and oceanside play. Though they’re a hybrid shoe, like the Keen Kids’ Newport H2, they feel more like a sneaker and less like a water shoe. We appreciate the fact that they’re machine-washable, though.

We found that Ten Little’s Everyday Sandals were much more comfortable than the company’s Splash Sandals, and they offered a surprising amount of traction. But they only come in three colors, and their sizing is geared towards smaller kids.

Ten Little’s Splash Sandals are like fashionable Crocs clogs, made with similar EVA foam but with the addition of a hook-and-loop strap and heel coverage. Our testers said the foam was stiffer and less comfortable than Crocs clogs, and while they loved the way they looked, they didn’t seem to want to keep them on.

The Teva Kid’s Hurricane XLT 2 is a slightly more rugged version of the classic Teva, which I grew up hiking in during the 1990s. It worked well for me at the time, but that was before Keen upped the hiking sandal game in the early 2000s. Our testers preferred ultra-comfortable hybrid-style shoes with toe protection. Still, these Teva sandals come in appealing patterns and feel well made.

The Teva Kid’s Manatee Water Sandal appears to be Teva’s answer to Keen’s Newport H2, but our testers found it wasn’t as comfortable. Plus, it only comes in three colors and is available in far fewer sizes than the Newport H2.

After trying on the uniquely unattractive Ubfen Water Shoe, my daughters admitted that it was surprisingly comfortable. But upon close inspection, I noticed that the glue was coming out of the seam between the outsole and the upper, and overall it didn’t seem very high quality — especially considering that when it’s not on sale, it only costs around $5 less than one of our top picks, the Reima Lean Water Shoe.

Jan and Jul Quick Dry Water Shoes come in several cute patterns and feature sturdy but flexible soles with a wide toe box. But the elastic around the opening doesn’t give very much, and we had a hard time fitting them on our tiny tester’s foot. Some reviews say they run small, and others say they don’t stay on kids’ feet.

The Apolter Baby Water Shoes are highly reviewed on Amazon, but like with the Jan and Jul water shoes, it was hard to fit our toddler tester’s foot through the opening. We might have had better luck if we’d sized up, but reviews offer mixed opinions on whether these shoes run big or small.

Feet City Baby Water Shoes were much easier to get on than the other toddler water shoes we tested, with their hook-and-loop straps, but then they didn’t stay on. And their textured EVA soles didn’t offer much slip protection.

This article was edited by Kalee Thompson and Amy Miller Kravetz.