Kids' Loafers

Loafers for kids, mostly faux leather with a good share of glossy pairs. A slip-on is the shoe a child can put on alone, which is the only feature that really counts on a school morning.

See also: Boys' Loafers, Girls' Loafers, Baby Shoes, Black Loafers, White Loafers, Pink Loafers

What to look for on a kids' pair

Children outgrow shoes faster than they wear them out, so the questions are different from the adult rack.

1. Easy on, without help
   A low topline or a stretch panel at the side. If a five-year-old cannot get it on alone, it will not get worn.

2. A material that wipes
   More than half of this rack is faux leather, and about one pair in six is glossy. Both come clean with a damp cloth, which matters when the shoe meets a playground.

3. A sole with some grip
   Smooth soles and gym floors do not mix. Look for a tread cut into the rubber.

Sizing a growing foot

Leave about a thumb's width in front of the longest toe, which is not always the big one. Less than that and the pair is outgrown in a month. Much more and the foot slides forward with every step.

Check again every couple of months rather than waiting for a complaint. Children rarely say a shoe is too small, they just stop wanting to put it on.