Baby Socks That STAY ON – Ultimate List
(This post contains affiliate links to hard-to-find baby socks that stay on.)
Each stage of motherhood brings its own unique challenges. With babies and toddlers, one of the most annoying #momproblems is socks that won’t stay on -especially in cold climates, where it’s not appropriate for baby to go around all barefoot.
It’s the little things…
When you are a brand-new mom, running on fumes, it’s not always the big-picture things that drive you batty. It’s often the little annoyances that keep happening again and again. The constantly thrown paci or the baby socks that won’t stay on. Too often, new moms are too burned out to even consider that they have the power to eliminate those annoyances. Or, if the idea occurs to them, they don’t exactly have a ton of free time to research and find the perfect solution.
Now that my kids are 6 and 10, I can look back on the #momproblems I had when they were younger and share the solutions I found. Or at least, I can let YOU learn from my mistakes!
When it came to shopping for baby socks, I tried them all. I went down a late-night rabbit hole of Googling “baby socks that stay on” and “baby socks that won’t come off” and “why won’t my kid keep his freakin’ socks on?” And then I bought a bunch of different brands of baby socks and booties and while some were better than others, most of them wound up on the floor amid giggles.
But now, after YEARS of searching, I’ve found the solution. Of course, my kids have moved past the Pulling-Socks-Off stage and are onto the Giving-Mom-Sass stage. But, YOU, my friend, can benefit from this information. (And if any moms with older kids have advice on the sass problem, send it my way, please!)
The Ultimate List of Baby Socks that Stay ON!
Best Overall – Squid Socks
Featured on Shark Tank, Squid Socks have patent-pending silicone “squiggly dots” inside the cuff of the sock that makes them near impossible for babies and toddlers to pull off. They come in sizes from teeny-tiny newborn to 3T, so you can even get your toddler’s socks to stay on. Even better, these adorable socks come in three packs in a ton of colors–both boys, girls, and gender-neutral. I love the ruffly dress socks for little girls!
Clever Sock Gizmos to Add To Baby Socks You Already Own – “Sock Ons”
These genius devices are slipped over your baby’s existing socks, making them nearly impossible for babies to pull off. Sock-Ons literally lock the socks on baby feet! These sock guard devices are only meant for young babies, though, not for children who are walking and can’t be worn with shoes.
The underside of the foot isn’t completely covered by “Sock Ons” so if the baby socks underneath have non-slip grips, they will still grip the floor.
Who Would Have Thought? Baby Water Shoes Make Great Substitutes for Baby Socks that Won’t Stay On
Hear me out. Water shoes are really difficult for babies to pull off. Yay! And water shoes also make excellent non-slip socks for hardwood and tile floors. Not to mention that in warm weather, baby-sized water shoes are perfect for water play!
These run big, so in order to make them stay on, you’ll want to check the size chart and probably size down. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free returns. So what I usually do is order two different sizes, try them on, and then return the ones that don’t fit.
Value Pack of Top-Rated “Wiggle-Proof” Baby Socks by Gerber
From one of the most trusted names in baby products, Gerber’s Wiggle-Proof socks stay on, mostly because they are cut smaller and tighter than most baby socks. Some parents love them and some hate how tight they are. But at such a bargain price for a value pack, it’s worth trying these socks that actually stay on tiny baby feet!
Nurses Choice Newborn Socks
For the littlest babies, I’ve heard great things about Nurses Choice newborn socks. An adorable bubble-stitch design is what helps these top-rated socks to grip and stay on tiny newborn feet.
My Go-To – Baby Booties that Stay On AND Double as Socks!
When my daughter was in the sock-pulling off stage, we were given a pair of these Zutano booties. Think of them as baby-sized Uggs. These adorable baby booties come in fleece for winter and lighter cotton for summer, with a huge variety of colors and prints to match every outfit. Many times, I had my kids wear these booties in place of their socks. On very cold days, I’d layer the fleece baby booties OVER their baby socks. With extra strong snaps, these hip-looking baby booties are impossible for little fingers to pull off.
This pack of 3 pairs of Zutano Baby Booties Comes in a Bunch of Color Combos:
Though the Zutano brand of these baby booties is the most well-known, there are also a ton of knock-offs, most of which I found totally comparable. It’s always worth a try if there are free returns.
Amazon’s Most Popular Baby Socks That Stay On
Full disclosure, I haven’t tried these. But according to a search of my favorite web retailer, these are some of the most popular, well-rated, and well-reviewed baby sock solutions. These socks come in multi-colored packs of 9 or 12.
WHY don’t babies socks stay on?
Wondering why your baby’s socks never stay on those itty biggy piggies? One reason could be that the socks are the wrong size. Babies’ feet grow at an alarming pace and if the socks are too small OR too big, they are more likely to fall off. You also have to be careful about the cuffs of the baby socks being too tight or in your effort to keep the socks on, you may cause discomfort resulting in sock-line hyperpigmentation! (yup, that’s a thing…)
Another reason baby socks come off so often is that babies are still discovering the world! A colorful sock right in their line of vision is something that must be touched, explored, and possibly chewed on! And how empowering and amusing it must be to “make something happen” by taking off that baby sock.
So you’ve tried all the sock options above and STILL can’t get your baby to keep their socks on…
Know, that like so many things in parenting, it’s a phase. Your baby will soon move on to some other slightly annoying habit. How many older kids do you see who yank off their socks and throw them on the ground in public? Taking off the socks is fun for the baby NOW, but soon, something else will grab his or her attention.
In the meantime, besides purchasing the socks listed above, here are a few last things you can try to keep the baby’s feet warm….
Pants with Feet
For Naptime and Nighttime… Sleep Sacks!
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