The best toddler boots

October 23, 8:48 PMEarly Childhood Parenting ExaminerAngele Sionna

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Shoes and toddlers. You either can't get them to take them off even for nap time or they won't stay on.

No matter the case, one type of shoe every toddler should have in his or her shoe drawer is boots.

My she philosophy is this, I'd rather have one or two pair of good shoes for my girls to walk around in then several cheap pairs of shoes that will only last one season if I'm lucky.

Here's a look at the best toddler boots my 2.5 year old daughter Ava has tried out...

Pediped 

These are my favorite everyday wear boot. They're durable, comfortable and cute to boot. I find they run very accurate to size, so you can buy as easily online as in stores.

Like all Pediped shoes, they come with an extra set of insoles called Flex Fit insoles. Pediped says that just by using these can add at least an extra two months wear to all of their shoes.

My daughter Ava has the Mia boot in chocolate brown and a faux fur trim at the top. My daughter Ava absolutely loves putting these on. For boys, check out the Dylan boot.

See Kai Run

See Kai Run has an expansive boot collection for toddlers. They've got about a dozen different styles, all of which are super cute, quite frankly. I'd say See Kai Run makes the best collection of children's boots out there.

They've got some girly girl ones, like the Peggy. Hipster boys boots, like the Kian. And they even have some gender neutral ones, like the Dominic, if you're like me and like to maximize your shoe lifespans with multiple children.

We have a pair of the Kates and of the Julies. Ava is hot to trot for the pair of Kate boots, which feature a bright pink lightening bolt down the side.

What I like about the See Kai Run brand is their high quality construction and hip styles. They're a little bit wider than the Pedipeds and run a little bit big, so consider that if you buy them online.

Columbia

The Columbia Sportswear company makes some fun and functional winter boots for toddlers. They run a little small, so you may want to go the next size up from your tot's normal shoe size with these, especially when you consider you're going to be putting on thicker socks with them.

Ava's favorite is their just released Snow Day boot. It has a low profile, which makes it easier to get on and off than most winter boots. There's stretchy elastic in the back and an elastic strap across the front to tighten to keep the boots on snuggly. The topper is, well, the topper - a faux fur trim. I think that's why Ava likes them the best.

I like them because they're much easier to put on than all of the other snow boots we tried. There's no extra inner lining in these for extra warmth, but that does add to the ease of putting them on. It also makes them a good regular winter boot, great even if it's not snowing out.

The Snow Day is made with Techlight so they're also much lighter than other snow boots. This is an added bonus feature to me. This boot comes in pink, blue and purple, so there's a color for everyone.

Sorel

If you need a serious snow boot, I'd opt for the Cub by Sorel. This boot comes in six colors from gender neutral to really girly. They're rated to -25°F and wind and water resistant, so they're ready for anything winter throws at you.

To top that, they have a removable, washable recycled felt inner boot. This is great because it keeps feet warm and dry and if they get stinky they're so easy to fix. I also like the "green" aspect.

The soles have deep groves for added snow traction too.

The Cub is a little hard to put on without socks. So be sure you put those on first or you'll have a heck of a time getting those tiny toes down to the bottom of this boot. They just pull on. No zips or straps to mess with but you can tighten up the top to keep snow out once they're on.

Hatley

Every kiddo needs rain boots in their shoe collection. The ones made by Hatley are fabulous. They have kid-friendly tug on handles, soft lining, waterproof (of course) exteriors, and designs a plenty to suit every personality.

Our fav design at my house -  Hatley's alien boots. These are the coolest ones I've seen anywhere. Period. Plus you can pair them up with a matching glow in the dark raincoat. We've got that too and its got a great lining - absorbent terry. So even if you don't keep it buttoned, you're tot isn't going to get soaked in the rain.