Columbia Sportswear Drainsock II Water Shoes - Slip-Ons (For Kids)

I bought these because we have property on the lake and my little one loves playing in the water and running outside back and forth between the water and the grass area. I like them over regular aqua shoes because the sole is like a regular shoe and has some substance. It's not just flexible soft rubber. The fabric is not neoprene it's another type of fabric that is screen-like to let the water through but durable. Over the shoe is well built and light.

I bought a pair of these for my two kids, one in size 10 and the other size 1. they are true to size with just enough "room to grow". my older child had slightly wide feet and they fit her great, also fit my younger boy whose feet are normal if not a tad narrow.

they are really durable and comfortable with a nice flexible sole, yet much better made than your discount store water shoes.

they drain well in wet weather and seem to dry out reasonably quickly in the sun.

i really like the big loop on the back- it makes them so easy for little ones to put on themselves (or parent sized fingers to fit through for helping).

the purplish-blue+orange color that i got my daughter is only slightly "girly" and my 4 year old son (who got the grey/red pair) commented that he did like his older sister's pair. so it may work if your boy (or you!) isn't super particular, but a really picky gender-color person would find them "too feminine".