We are going on a beach vacation (omg yay!) next month. Did your walking toddler need water shoes for pool and beach time? Or can she just wear her Mary jane style sneakers around and go barefoot at the beach and pool when we are swimming? She will be 19 months.
My feeling is that it would be better to have something that can get wet but I also don't really want to buy something she will only wear for a week then outgrow before the summer.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
My LO wouldn't wear her water shoes on the beach. Her feet got wet and then sand got in them, so I don't blame her.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@Smurfette: what about at the pool? I feel like realistically we will spend more time there anyway.
pineapple / 12566 posts
I hate crocs, but they are great for what you need. Maybe try to find a cheap off brand?
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@lawbee11: Puerto Rico! So excited. The "feels like" temp here is -22 today. That's a negative sign.
eggplant / 11824 posts
My LO wore water shoes at both the beach and pool area (couldn't go into the pool when we vacationed because she isn't potty trained yet). I found 2 pairs cheap at Nordstrom Rack and BJs!
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@Foodnerd81: She wore her flip flops down to the pool, but then took them off and would walk between the pool and the splash pad barefoot. Swimming lessons and then at friend's pools, she is barefoot.
GOLD / watermelon / 14076 posts
@Foodnerd81: So jealous! That'll be so fun and such a nice escape from the cold.
pomegranate / 3595 posts
@Foodnerd81: we got knock off crocs at target for about $15 I think?
We did our first beach vacation at 15 months and got shoes primarily because the sand was rocky in parts, and we wanted to be able to go for walks in the morning and look for crabs and things when the tide was low. We got some speedo water shoes also from target for about the same price, and then used them for water days at school that summer. If you don't have rocky sand to deal with, I don't think you need shoes. Do you know what the shore is like?
pomelo / 5469 posts
My LO wears jelly sandals like these at the beach/pool, can pick them up pretty cheap.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@MamaCate: it's really smooth fine sand- my friend has been a lot and knows the beach and pool. No rocks.
pomegranate / 3401 posts
I would say crocs!!! I've seen knock off ones at Walmart for less than $10!
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
Sadie wore jellies or flip flops to the beach and pool all summer. The flip flops from Old Navy are really cheap and have elastic on the back for lite feet. I don't/won't do crocs. 
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@photojane: I am a little worried that she would scrape her toes in flip flops. She's a good walker but she's also only a year and a half old. Did you have any issues?
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
We pretty much live at the beach in the summers and dd wore these last year...they have great treads & traction and are super durable. I also like how easy they are to put on and how quickly they dry!
squash / 13764 posts
We loved natives last summer! They are super easy to clean--and LO loved them. They also run a bit big, so if you get her size now, she should still be able to wear them this summer.
That being said, when we were in Mexico last year (lo was about 16 months) he barely wore shoes. even on the paths from the pool to the beach to our room, he was often barefoot. I guess it depends how heavily traffic-ed the road is and how messy. He didn't need any shoes at the beach or pool.
cantaloupe / 6610 posts
We always have crocs but I saw Nordstrom is having a sale on Natives and I'll probably buy my LO some of those too.
cantaloupe / 6610 posts
There's also always the super cute rubber thong flip flops with the back strap from ON for like $5. They don't stay on as great, but my LO had silver ones last year and man were they adorable !!!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@PrincessBaby: @hilsy85: Do you mean the Natives that look like little sneakers with holes? What makes them so great?
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/native-shoes-jefferson-slip-on-sneaker-baby-walker-toddler-little-kid/3121216?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=60151201&fashionColor=Surfer+Blue&resultback=587 (Sorry, long link!)
@Charm54: I have been eyeing those. They look like they would be less likely to trip her- she is still in the soft motion Stride Rite shoes.
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
@Foodnerd81: she was 15 months when sge started wearing the flip flops, and she didn't have any trouble. And she's clumsy! 
We got knock off natives too (iPlay water sneakers), and I loved them, but they were too big most of the summer, so she didn't wear them as much.
squash / 13764 posts
@Foodnerd81: they are like cuter crocs IMO and they stay on better because they have a real back, not just a strap. They are the same material or very similar so you just run them under water to clean them.
pineapple / 12053 posts
@hilsy85: @Foodnerd81: another vote for natives. they say on, look good and my kid loves them. they are the only shoe DH gives a 5 of 5 stars!
grapefruit / 4988 posts
We just got back from a cruise and my LO (16 months) wore crocs the entire time. I had originally bought her Keens but she hated them and kept taking them off. I had to buy crocs on the cruise and they were pricey but she loved them so I guess they ended up being worth it.
coconut / 8472 posts
I was just having this same dilemma since we're going on vacation next month too. For the moment we've decided to skip the sandals though. I think anything we buy now will be outgrown by summer and I figure at the beach/pool he can either be barefoot or we'll carry him.
grape / 85 posts
My girl always gets fussy when she gets sand or water in her shoes. That said, I think a Native-type shoe is good for the easy on-off and being able to dry them quickly with a towel so she can put them in again for the millionth time. Prefer Native to Croc since better for climbing on playground and the fewer shoes in our life the better!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Foodnerd81: Yes to some type of shoe - we liked crocs too! The concrete can get really hot walking around the pool depending on how hot it is.
pear / 1739 posts
Since my LO is tall she will be wearing shoes at the beach. Last time we went I stepped on something sharp under water. Not risking that pain on her.
clementine / 806 posts
igor makes these great jelly shoes with insoles that you can take out and wash out. The rubber is much less "sticky" than natives and other jelly shoes so there's very little rubbing and irritation which causes blisters.
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