Playing football is a great way to teach your little one all about teamwork and coordination, but before they begin any lessons you may want to invest in a decent pair of toddler football boots, as well as a football kit. They will be able to run around with ease and they will certainly look the part on the pitch.
First, you need to decide what style of boot you're going for. There are plenty of studded football boots and there are also AstroTurf-friendly options as well, but you could also just choose a casual pair of trainers or sports shoes if you'd prefer.
Editor's Choice:
•Best for no laces: Predator Accuracy.3 Laceless Firm Ground Boots - Buy now from Nike
•Best for studs: X Speedportal.1 Firm Ground Boots - Buy now from Nike
•Best for AstroTurf: Adidas Goletto VIII Football Boots - Buy now from Sports Direct•Best for a budget: Mercurial Vapor Club Junior Astro Turf Trainers - Buy now from Sports Direct
Next, think about what brands you may want to have a look at and if your toddler already supports a particular team or has any favourite colours as this can add a more personal touch to their sporting wardrobe.
If you're still unsure what to go for, we've compiled a list of the very best football boots for toddlers and have also included a few accessories too. Some of these options would go brilliantly with a World Cup football kit!
The best toddler football boots 2023
Best for no laces
www.adidas.co.uk
With these football boots, you won't have to worry about any laces becoming undone or being tripped over. What sets these apart from the rest is that you can actually personalise each foot with up to 8 characters. How cool!
One reviewer said: "My 8-year-old son absolutely loves them. Being laceless they were tricky to put on the first few times, but he can easily slot them on by himself."
Pros
- Adult sizes available
- Can add emojis as well as text
Cons
- Personalisation costs extra
Best for studs
www.adidas.co.uk
Available in Shock Pink and Solar Gold, these bright boots will certainly add some colour to the football pitch. They're made up of 50 per cent recycled materials too which is awesome and they have extra studs to boost acceleration.
One reviewer said: "I bought these for my 8-year-old daughter. The price was great and she is loving them. Not as hard to put on as I thought. They are very light and she loves the comfort."
Pros
- Lightweight shoe
- Foot-hugging
Cons
- Runs small so may need to go up a size
Best for AstroTurf
www.sportsdirect.com
A brilliant option if you have more than one child as you can get them the same shoes but personalise them with text, emojis and flags. If you're not keen on the blue, there are several other colours to choose from in this style.
One reviewer said: "Purchased for my grandson who loves playing footy. He needed some Astro footy boots and these were recommended to me. Now I’m going to recommend them also. Grandson says they are comfortable. Great price and quality."
Pros
- Comfortable fit
- Can choose the colour of the text
Cons
- Limited sizes for older children
Best for a budget
www.sportsdirect.com
If you're after something smart and simple, these Nike football trainers are the ones to go for. They are affordable and the dark colours will go nicely with any type of kit.
One reviewer said: "I got the Jr Vapor 15 Club Tf trainers for my 7-year-old son. As a child who wears trainers out very quickly. The shoes are well-made and ideal for a child that kicks everything! The material makes it so easy to clean and look good. They have great grips for running around or playing football. The trainers look really modern and perfect for out playing or going out somewhere nice."
Pros
- Budget friendly
- Nice range of colourways
Cons
- Some reviewers say they may be too narrow for wide feet
Best for straps
Designed with a stretched woven tongue, these football boots are supposed to resemble the feeling of socks, giving your little one that extra bit of comfort as they run around the pitch. They also have Velcro straps, so you can get them on and off of their feet with ease.
Pros
- Sturdy block heel
- Great for indoor use
Cons
- Limited sizes available
Toddler football boot accessories
Now you've chosen the perfect shoes, it's time to find some accessories to go with them. We've included shoe cleaners, bags and lace holders.
Best for laces
If those pesky little laces keep coming undone when they're running around the pitch, it's worth investing in a Laceeze Band. It simply slots around the shoe and can be used on moulded boots as well as studs and AstroTurf ones too.
One reviewer said: "Easy to use, very strong and laces do not get undone. I purchased this for my son and his friend and it worked perfectly. I highly suggest purchasing if you're sick and tired of tying up football shoelaces every 5 minutes."
Pros
- Suitable for child sizes UK 13-6
- Can be worn on all types of pitch
Cons
- Limited colour options
Best for cleaning
If your fed up of trying to clean your kid's football boots after every game, you need to get your hands on this fantastic brush. All you need to do is fill it with water then scrape and scrub to reveal a fresh-looking pair of shoes. Oh, and it can be simply slotted into their bag so they won't forget it.
One reviewer said: After presenting my young child with the Boot Buddy I'm now pleased to say that even he is willing to clean his own boots. The scrapper tool is useful to get all the chunks of dirty and sands off the bottom of the boot and the tough brush helps to remove everything else, plus the added benefit of the water bottle really helps bring them up to a nice clean presentable level."
Pros
- Compact and portable
- Easy to use
Cons
- May need to clean the brush from time to time
Best for portability
www.sportsdirect.com
Keep things simple with this shoe bag from Nike. It has a zip which is easy for children to use, plus it's super spacious as it can fit a pair of adult shoes inside it. We love the addition of the side pocket.
One reviewer said: "I bought this bag a couple of weeks ago and it is a really good choice it has a pocket at the front that is perfect for my football socks and plenty of room inside for my football boots and a football kit! The material feels super strong as well"
Pros
- Carry handle
- Mesh for ventilation
How to choose the best football boots for toddlers
When selecting football boots for children, there are many things to think about including the style, quality, comfort and price.
•Purpose - It's important to keep in mind what type of pitch they will be playing on, as this can determine the type of studs their shoes will need.
•Style - Just like regular shoes, football boots come in all sorts of designs, so why not ask your child which type they'd like? You could always create a shortlist and ask them to narrow it down from there if you have a budget in mind. There are also several pairs without laces and a few designs which have straps too.
•Price - How much are you willing to pay for children's football boots? While there are some which may cost more due to extra features or limited edition kit, there are plenty of affordable options which can work just as well. Don't forget that they're likely to grow out them pretty quickly!
•Comfort - For your child to perform at their best, it's important that their shoes not only support their feet but feel comfortable too. After all, nobody likes getting blisters or sore feet! Perhaps they could practice at home with a ball for toddlers before they head to training so they can get used to the feel of them.
What type of studs do their football shoes need?
There are several key terms which may be confusing if you've never bought football shoes before or played it yourself. These are:
•AG - This means artificial grass or ground. Shoes for AG will have studs that are quite small, rounded and made from plastic.
•FG - This refers to firm ground such as dry and hard grass. Boots for this sort of pitch have medium-sized studs.
•MG- Multiple ground surfaces is what this stands for. MG boots have plastic studs which are small and can be used on real grass and artificial grass too.
•SG- This one means soft ground and refers to wet and muddy conditions. They will need football boots with big metal studs which provide plenty of grip.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who enjoys cooking and spending time with her many pets.