Kids don’t let a little thing like rain get in the way of their fun, so a decent pair of wellies is an absolute essential, whatever the season.
As soon as they can walk, it’s a good idea to invest in some mini wellies for outdoor fun. Trust me, I’ve learned that one first-hand; this comes from a parent who wasn’t so organised, and had to fashion waterproof covers from plastic bags so her toddler could enjoy their first snow. Wellies are an easy go-to for walks and trips to the playground when the weather looks iffy, as well as being an essential for forest school sessions.
From short ankle boots to snuggly fur-lined designs, the choice of kids’ wellies is surprisingly vast. The most important thing? They need to be fully waterproof. No one wants to deal with the fall-out from soggy toes after the first puddle jump.
As a mum of two and a parenting writer with over eight years’ experience testing kids’ products, I know way more than is necessary about children’s wellies. Over the years, my family and I have tried them all – the good, the bad and the disastrously leaky. The favourite on test? The TOG24 x Shaun the Sheep wellies, but there are several other excellent options. Every pair in my roundup gets the seal of approval from me – and my mini testers.
How I tested
My little testers, ranging in age from five to 10, tested out these wellies over the space of a month and a half. They were worn for all kinds of outdoor adventures, including forest school sessions, camping trips, muddy woodland walks and playing in the garden on rainy days to really put them through their paces. My testers didn’t hold back when it came to honest feedback, letting me know exactly which wellies they rated for comfort and which ones didn’t get in the way of play. When testing, I considered:
- Comfort and fit: I looked at how well each pair of wellies fit my testers. Any wellies that rubbed uncomfortably or were too hard for children to get on and off themselves didn’t make the cut. Only wellies that my little testers were happy to wear and didn’t restrict play are featured here.
- Waterproof levels: Wellies have to keep toes dry, so I had our testers put each pair to the test with some proper puddle jumping and rainy-day wear to make sure they were fully waterproof.
- Warmth: Whatever the season, wellies need to be warm enough for outdoor wear. I listened to my mini testers’ verdicts on the cosiness of each pair of wellies. I expected wellies to keep feet toasty, without causing overheating and leaving children with damp, sweaty socks. If they didn’t have furry or neoprene lining, I made sure they could accommodate a pair of thick welly socks for when the temperature dips.
- Durability: Whether it’s weekly forest school sessions, family walks, or outdoor play, kids’ wellies get put through a lot, so they have to be built to last. During testing, I evaluated the quality of each pair of wellies – extra points for features like reinforced toes – to make sure they could handle anything an adventurous kid can throw at them. As well as high-quality outer material, I looked for heavy-duty soles with good grip that didn’t add extra weight.
- Style: I deferred to my little testers to give me their honest opinions on the look and style of each pair of wellies. While my younger testers were all about the bright colours and fancy patterns, my older testers preferred something a little plainer, so I took it all into consideration when selecting a mix of styles.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Sarah Dawson is a seasoned tester of children’s clothing. With the help of her kids (ranging from four to nine), she’s hand-tested a wide range of cold-weather gear, including raincoats, always making sure to be inclusive of all budgets. For this review, she enlisted her little testers to help bring you honest advice and products that fare under real-world use, factoring in their quality and any potential pitfalls.
The best kids’ wellies for 2025 are:
- Best overall – TOG24 border kids Shaun the Sheep wellies: £26, Tog24.com
- Best budget buy – M&S kids wellies: £13, Marksandspencer.com
- Best short wellies – Merry People Bobbi kids wellies: £39.95, Merrypeople.com
- Best for older kids – Wheat rubber boot welly: £44.95, Wheat.co.uk
- Best colour-changing wellies – Grass and Air colour-changing wellies: £25, Grassandair.com
TOG24 border kids Shaun the Sheep wellies
Best: Kids’ wellies overall
Size range: 9 junior to 13 junior
Colourways: Black and white checkerboard
Why we love it
- Cute design
- Warm lining
- Reinforced toe
Take note
- Limited size range
Shaun the Sheep wellies? What’s not to love when you’re five years old? My little tester was sold as soon as she laid eyes on these cool checkerboard wellies. While they certainly tick the kid appeal box – apparently the multi-coloured edging and Shaun motif was the talk of her forest school buddies – these affordable wellies really impressed me on the practicalities.
I’m often a little wary of fur-lined wellies, which can sometimes leave little toes a bit sweaty, but these kept feet cosy without overheating, even when tested during warmer weather.
The mid-calf height – marginally taller than the Grass & Air wellies (£25, Grassandair.com) – did a great job of keeping water out when jumping in puddles, and the tab on the back helped my tester get these on easily. These are such great all-rounders, for a brilliant price.
Buy now £26.00, Tog24.com
M&S kids wellies
Best: Budget kids' wellies
Size range: 4 infant to 6 junior
Colourways: Yellow, off white, red, pink Mix and khaki
Why we love it
- Wide size range
- Classic design
- Cool raincloud tread
Take note
- Some sizes sell out quickly
I honestly did a double-take when I saw how much these M&S wellies cost. For less than £15, they are brilliant quality and look way more premium than the price tag suggests. Similar to the TOG24 wellies (£39.95, Tog24.com), these sit at mid-calf height and feature a buckle detail (for decoration only). The boot feels a little wider than others in the roundup, which made them really easy for my tester to slip on and off.
I’ve been reliably informed by my tester that these are really comfortable to wear, and the sunny yellow shade was a big hit all round. They are super-flexible and didn’t inhibit any playground fun – they’re also lightweight – so much so, my tester was able to master the monkey bars while wearing them.
The icing on the cake? The cute raincloud tread, which my testers thought was the coolest thing ever.
Buy now £13.00, Marksandspencer.com
The Warm Welly Company green junior
Best: Neoprene kids’ wellies
Size range: 1 junior to 5 junior
Colourways: Green, red, yellow, purple in toddler and infant sizes, green, purple in junior sizes
Why we love it
- Excellent quality
- Warm
- Deep heel for grip and ease of taking off
Take note
- Limited colour choice in junior sizes
Nothing beats neoprene wellies at keeping out the cold, but they’re tricky to find in kids’ sizes. These boots from The Warm Welly Company feature a generous 4mm of neoprene lining, which really impressed for keeping my tester’s feet warm without the need for extra thick socks.
I can fully vouch for the waterproof levels, too, as my nine-year-old tester put these to the test wading through a stream during a camping trip, and his socks stayed bone dry.
The neoprene padding also makes these wellies very comfortable, and my tester commented on how much he loved the “squishy sole”. They also survived the “family walk” test, where we covered a good two miles without any grumbling about uncomfy boots. I think these are a great buy for outdoorsy families who don’t want cold toes to stop their adventures.
Buy now £37.50, Warmwellies.co.uk
Merry People Bobbi kids wellies
Best: Short kids' wellies
Size range: 4 infant to 3 junior
Colourways: Brown, light purple, red, yellow, blue
Why we love it
- Versatile style
- Easy to get on and off
- Very comfortable
- Vegan
Take note
- Short style not ideal for puddle jumping
Short wellies are a perfect choice on chilly or slightly damp days, and while I wouldn’t reach for these on the wettest of walks, I think these Merry People boots are a brilliant everyday option. My nine-year-old tester absolutely loved these – they’re the boots he reaches for on repeat.
They look cool and are boot-like enough to wear for trips to the shops, as well as comfy enough for bike rides. I love the neoprene lining, which helped keep my little tester’s feet warm on chilly autumn mornings, and the built-in arch support and super-grippy sole are great touches.
These are easy to get on and off thanks to the front and back tabs, and flexible Chelsea boot-style side details. Aussie brand Merry People do adult versions of these gumboots if you fancy a spot of twinning, too.
Buy now £39.95, Merrypeople.com
Muddy Puddles puddlestomper wellies
Best: Tall kids' wellies
Size range: 7 infant to 5 junior
Colourways: Pink with white lightning, blue with white lightning
Why we love it
- Cool pattern
- Great grip
- Reinforced toe
Take note
- Limited colour options
With their distinctive colourful lightning bolt design, these wellies are perfect for keeping tabs on your child at the playground or on rainy walks. They are extra tall – only slightly shorter than The Warm Welly Company pair (£37.50, Warmwellies.co.uk), so brilliant at keeping feet dry even if your kids can’t resist the lure of the deepest puddles.
They feel very durable – I particularly rate the robust yet flexible outer and the grippy sole and heel. My mini tester loved the feel of the inner lining, which is soft to the touch – these are the kind of wellies you could wear with shorts without any annoying rubbing.
I did find these wellies came up slightly larger than usual, but if your child will be wearing thick socks, then you should still go for their usual size.
Buy now £30.00, Muddypuddles.com
Start-Rite mudbuster
Best: Kids' wellies for country walks
Size range: 9 infant to 6 junior
Colourways: Navy blue and pink
Why we love it
- Elasticated top keeps water out
- Arch support
- Reinforced toe
- Fleecy lining
Take note
- Slightly narrow in the leg
With an elasticated cuff to keep rain and puddle oversplash out, and a seriously heavy-duty sole, these wellies from Start-Rite mean business. Out of all the wellies we tested, these have the thickest, fleeciest lining, making them a dream for prolonged outdoor wear. If your child has ever complained of cold feet, you need these wellies in your life.
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My 10-year-old tester really rated the warm lining and confirmed these are very comfortable, if a little narrower in the leg compared to some of the others we tested. The sole features a deep tread and has in-built arch support – something only offered in the Merry People wellies.
While we tested the junior version, the mudbuster is available in smaller sizes, in a slightly more toddler-friendly style (£28, Amazon.co.uk)
Buy now £36.00, Startriteshoes.com
Grass and Air colour-changing wellies
Best: Colour-changing kids' wellies
Size range: 3 infant to 13 infant
Colourways: Red, khaki, purple, light pink, navy, Peppa Pig design
Why we love it
- Toddler sizes available
- Serious kid-appeal
- Reflective strip on back
Take note
- A little shorter in height than some other wellies
Never has a child wished for rain quite as much as my little welly tester. They were desperate to put Grass and Air’s colour changing feature to the test and – we’re both happy to report – it really does work. When the wellies get wet, the raindrops on the boot change from white to rainbow colours, which they lived.
But it goes beyond a gimmick like that. I found that these wellies are incredibly well-made, with a robust outer which still offers plenty of flexibility for little kids. The furry lining is soft and did a great job of keeping my tester’s toes cosy at forest school.
I like the reflective strip which runs down the back of the wellies, for added visibility during those darker winter months. With all these features, you’d expect a premium price tag, so for £25, I think they are excellent value for money.
Buy now £25.00, Grassandair.com
Next multi rainbow glitter wellies
Best: Rainbow wellies
Size range: 3 infant to 12 infant
Colourways: Rainbow
Why we love it
- Cute design
- Comfy
- Roomy fit
- Good value
Take note
- Only one colourway
If you ask our six-year-old tester, nothing beats a pair of sparkly rainbow wellies. This bargain pair from Next are guaranteed to brighten up even the most miserable of rainy days with its colourful, shimmery design.
Despite being among the cheapest in this review, there’s not a lot I can fault about these wellies. They are waterproof (my tester certainly pushed them to their limit with some intense puddle jumping), comfortable and fit really well.
Unlike the Grass and Air (£25, Grassandair.com) or TOG24 wellies (£26, Tog24.com), these aren’t fur-lined, but I found them roomy enough to add a pair of thick socks when my tester had a chilly forest school session. If half the battle is getting your child to put their wellies on, these sparkly beauties definitely help.
Buy now £11.00, Next.co.uk
Wheat rubber boot welly
Best: For older kids
Size range: 5 infant to 5 junior
Colourways: Navy
Why we love it
- Stylish design
- Reinforced toe and heel
- Lining made from recycled polyester
Take note
- Only one colourway
- Pricey
Older kids can be trickier to please when it comes to wellies, but this stylish pair from Scandi-cool brand Wheat should do the trick. My nine-year-old tester gave the thumbs up to the subtle colour-blocking design – I liked the unexpected mix of colours, which definitely gave these boots a fashionable feel.
Obviously, fashion isn’t going to keep your feet dry – good job then that these high-quality wellies proved themselves to be completely waterproof and toasty during testing.
Featuring a grippy sole and ribbed edging for extra protection, these boots are lightweight, unrestrictive and breathable. The only real drawback is that they’re much pricier than other wellies I’ve tested.
Buy now £44.95, Wheat.co.uk
Mountain Warehouse plain kids wellies
Best: Everyday kids' wellies
Size range: 8 infant to 5 junior
Colourways: Cobalt blue, dark pink, bright pink, black, sky blue, dark teal, orange, khaki, light teal, mustard yellow, navy, purple, red
Why we love it
- Huge choice of colours
- Great value
- Good grippy sole
Take note
- No easy-on back tab
These classic wellies from Mountain Warehouse are a practical choice for rainy days. The soles have a good tread, and the reinforced toe makes them feel particularly robust, while the heel helped when my tester was trying to get these on and off.
The tall design helped keep any water from getting inside on wet days, although the outer doesn’t feel quite as flexible as the M&S wellies (£13, Marksandspencer.com), so these are best suited to older children.
The contrasting boot and sole was a big hit with my tester, who declared these “very cool” – not a bad accolade for a pair of wellies. These are a great choice for warmer days as there’s no fur lining – otherwise I’d suggest sizing up and adding a pair of welly socks if you’re looking for all-season wear.
Buy now £12.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
What are the best kids’ wellies?
The TOG24 x Shaun the Sheep wellies impressed with their cosiness, comfort and puddle-repelling skills, all at a great price. If you’re after a budget pair of wellies your kids will actually want to wear, I think the M&S boots tick all the boxes.
Get ready for more outdoor adventures with your little ones, with the best kids’ water bottles
