Realize that these are mostly polyester, not cotton.

I bought these for my son.  He thought they were too stiff, and hated wearing them.  I have worked on softening them up, but it's a lot of work for a pair of pants.  If you child likes soft or cotton, don't buy these.

That said, they are well made and sturdy.  I assume, from adult Dickies, that the polyester makes them very stair resistant.