Best Barefoot Shoes for 2–3 Year Old Toddlers: Spring & Summer

Wearing barefoot sandals

We’ve been a barefoot family for years—ideally barefoot, realistically barefoot shoes. Since Elba was born, we’ve been intentional about supporting her natural foot development and movement. When shoes are necessary, we make sure they’re truly barefoot—not just in name, but in function.

This list includes shoes we used all spring and summer. Some aren’t sold as barefoot shoes, but they meet the criteria. And they passed the test—mud, puddles, hikes, playgrounds, and toddler independence.

Ian in his Vivobarefoot shoes & Elba in her adventure barefoot shoes

What Makes a Shoe Truly Barefoot?

Here’s what we look for when choosing shoes for Elba:

• Zero Drop: Flat from heel to toe.

• Thin, Flexible Sole: Allows sensory feedback and natural movement.

• Wide Toe Box: Toes can splay and grip.

• No Arch Support or Cushioning: Encourages foot strength.

• Lightweight: Doesn’t interfere with movement.

• Secure Fit Without Restriction: Stays on but doesn’t compress.

• Natural Materials (when possible): Especially for shoes worn most often.

Let's have a look at the list of Best Barefoot Toddler shoes for Spring & Summer.

Everyday Shoe: Soft Sole Leather Moccasins

These were Elba’s most worn shoes—and they truly are barefoot. We’ve had them in every size since she started walking. The brand we use runs big, so we size down one or even two sizes.

Click here for the exact brand we have purchased (in 4 sizes)

Why We Love Them:

• Wide Toe Box and Zero Drop

• Ultra-Flexible Suede Sole: Non-slip and sensory-friendly

• Easy On/Off: Elba can do it herself—no left/right stress

• Packable: Soft enough to toss in a bag when she wants to go barefoot

• Natural Materials: Especially important for her most worn shoe

She wore them so much this season that I had to reinforce the toe area with repair tape—which worked wonderfully. I also used it to fix my husband’s shoes and her MEC winter booties. I highly recommend having some on hand.

The sole held up, but just barely—it won’t be passed down. Still, the price is low enough and the value is high such that it is worth it even if they only last one season. These shoes met every need.

P.s. This was also the same type of shoe she wore for the entire duration of our trip to Costa Rica last year and it worked so well.

While they are leather so technically you probably shouldn't wash them in the washing machine - I did. Several times actually - on a delicate hand wash cycle. It's a bit of a requirement with toddler shoes for them to be washable in my opinion.

Next year, I’ll be making a pair myself. That’s how good they are—worth learning to make just to keep them in rotation.

Lifestyle shoes: Sandals

We had no intention of getting a second pair of lifestyle shoes, but Elba insisted that she wanted sandals (every day for weeks). I looked at what was easily available, and I wasn't happy with any of the choices - they weren't barefoot enough for my liking. I wanted sandals that are similar to her everyday shoe - barely a shoe and only offering a bit of sole and toe protection. Because I couldn't find anything - I made some.

DIY Barefoot Sandals

That might sound extreme, but I can assure you it is a lot easier than it sounds. I created the pattern (and I have shared it), along with a Youtube tutorial video. These were technically my 2nd pair of sandals I made, but my first pair I made using a sewing machine (I learnt to sew less than a year ago - so you don't need to be particularly skilled at all).

As part of my experimenting I made two types.

Sandal 1 - you can find all the details here.

and Sandal 2 - you can find all the details here.

Rainboots

I have a whole blog on the Rainboots we got for Elba from their use in Spring. But they were used, when necessary, through Spring and Summer (and will be used in Fall with some warm socks).

We chose a bright color for safety, and while they’re Elba’s least flexible shoes, they’re still flexible enough and have a wide toe box.

She only wore them when the weather demanded it—because realistically, rainboots are always firmer than lifestyle shoes. But they served their purpose well, and we’ll be buying them again next year.

Adventure & Water Shoes

For nature walks and outdoor adventures, we used Jan & Jul water shoes - but specifically the mesh ones with grip soles. Technically water shoes, but we used them for hiking.

They’re not marketed as barefoot shoes, but they hit the marks:

• Wide Toe Box

• Zero Drop

• Flexible Sole (though firmer for protection)

They’re not ideal for everyday wear due to reduced sensory feedback, but they came close. And they’re super easy to clean—I machine-washed them several times and they held up perfectly. No marks, no flaws, just reliable performance.

And that is the only shoes we needed for Spring & Summer for our toddler. They met all our needs.

If barefoot shoe information, recommendations and DIYs interest you - please join my mailing list below (Only important things will be sent) and Subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Next up on my channel I am going to be sharing my reviews & recommendations of the Barefoot winter shoes we got last year and what we're keeping or changing for this year! Depending on when you are reading this, it may already be live.

Thanks for being here,

Carmen

P.S. We are based in Canada, but many of these shoes (I think all of them) will be available in many countries.

Affiliate Disclaimer

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products we’ve personally used, loved, and found genuinely helpful in our barefoot journey. Your support helps keep this blog going and allows me to continue sharing honest reviews and DIY resources. Thank you for being here!