Ah, youth. While as adults we’re more than happy to receive socks, scarves and slippers for birthdays and holidays, such sensible gifts often get a lukewarm reception from small people. It’s almost as if they don’t care about proper posture or preserving their core body temperature at all, the ingrates. But pick something with a little bit of edge, brightly coloured, with a fun design, or featuring their favourite character, and suddenly getting them to wrap up warm becomes a whole lot easier. Read on for our guide to the best kids' slippers.
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We’ve found the best slippers for toddlers, teenagers, big kids and small, cartoon-lovers, the style-conscious, and of course Star Wars fans (if you can name it, there’s a Star Wars version of it). There’s no right or wrong when it comes to finding the best pair of slippers for your lucky recipient, although if they’re likely to wear them a lot, and you’ve already spent a fortune on Start-Rite shoes, you might want to look for something with a bit of structure to keep all those growing bones exactly where they should be.
After that, it’s as easy as knowing what they’re into (although as we all know, that can change on a seemingly hourly basis). If they love their cartoons, cute character slippers are sure to put a smile on their face, while animal lovers are sure to appreciate quirky 3D designs with their favourite creature as a feature, and aspiring sartorial geniuses might appreciate just-like-the-grown-ups styles from bigger brands.
Our favourite toddler slippers on the market right now are these lovely little Peppa Pig numbers. They’re easy to slip on, and fasten with a velcro strap which is easy for kids to handle themselves should they want to take matters into their own hands. Plus, they strike the right balance between sweet and sensible, with a cosy construction that’s also wipe-clean.
Even if you’re not a fan of Despicable Me, these funny yellow fellows are sure to be instantly recognisable, and kids love them. These enormous slippers don’t have any structure to speak of, so they might take a while to get anywhere in them, but for sheer novelty value they can’t be beaten. Plus, immersing feet in their thick plush construction is a treat.
The downright adorable design and sturdy structure of these zebra baby slippers makes them our best pick for tiny toes. With sweet, tactile 3D details like ears and mane and a cosy soft lining, they’re both comforting and interesting for baby, and the zip fastening keeps them on (no matter how determined they are to kick them off). If they’re starting to walk, the sturdy TPR sole protects their feet and adds grip on hard floors.
For another year running, Star Wars slippers are proving a popular choice all over the galaxy, and these ones are our pick of the bunch. With a robust rubber sole and elasticated fitting, they can go racing all over the house without slipping, and there’s a choice of fun character designs for them to choose from, including Yoda and C3PO.
If you’re after a pair of novelty kids’ slippers but aren’t sold on minions, these 3D unicorn slippers are a great, very girly alternative. Bright, colourful, and very sweet, these are a real statement slipper for sleepovers, chilling out on Sundays, or showing off on Christmas morning. Reviewers loved that they weren’t unwieldy, even for such a large slipper, so they’re unlikely to trip, too.
These might seem pricey for something that growing feet mighty soon burst out of, but their sturdy, supportive design makes them well worth the price. Non-slip bottoms and a riptape fastening mean they can go happily haring around the place while staying secure and supported, and the cheerful monster design is appealing for boys and girls alike.
For the fashion-conscious teenager or tweenager, these distinctly adult-looking slippers are a great buy. These eschew the novelty stylings so often found in children’s slippers without sacrificing any of the cosiness, which is ensured by their outrageously soft genuine sheepskin lining. They’re not clumsy, either, with their grippy and durable EVA sole. Who knows, these might even raise a smile...
They’re sweet, they’re neat, we really love these tiger feet. These delightful tiger booties are an ideal meeting of form and function, a cute novelty slipper with enough structure and security to put your mind at ease. The higher fastening ankle bootie style keeps everything in its right place as they’re running about, the sturdy sole prevents slippage (and boo-boos) and the terry fabric is soft and tactile. A totally roar-some animal slipper for little boys and girls.
With their full-coverage bootie style, these supremely soft and snuggly boots are just the thing for cold nights and chilly mornings. An ideal Christmas gift for boys, they’ll keep more of them warm than a low-hitting ankle bootie or slipper shoe. In fact, these bootie slippers are so soft you’ll find it difficult to get them out of them. When you do though, they’re machine washable, which is always useful.
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