Families feel the pinch of higher children’s shoe prices as kids head back to school
Summary
Families are facing higher prices for children’s shoes as the new school year starts. Shoe costs have risen quickly, making it harder for parents to buy the right size shoes for fast-growing kids while sticking to their budgets.Key Facts
- Children’s shoe prices rose 3.2% in the first half of 2026, the fastest increase in 34 years except for recent pandemic years.
- Parents are spending more time hunting for discounts or buying fewer shoes due to higher costs and other rising expenses like food and gas.
- Kids often need new shoes every six to nine months because their feet grow quickly, especially between ages 7 to 10.
- Some sneakers cost as much as $145 to $300, which is more than many families plan to spend.
- Quality concerns arise as some parents feel shoe quality has declined even though prices are going up.
- Parents are looking for versatile shoes and coupons from stores like DSW and Zappos to save money.
- Exact shoe fit is important for kids’ foot health, making buying shoes more challenging than buying clothes.
- Rising shoe prices add pressure to already tight family budgets during back-to-school shopping.
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