Why Barefoot is Best for Babies and Toddlers and Kids

WHY BAREFOOT IS BEST

When baby takes their first steps we can’t wait for the next moment when they put two and two together and walk unassisted for the first time. There is no manual for this and our first thoughts are to put shoes on their precious little feet to protect them from the great outdoors or just to assist them in walking, but the fact is - barefoot is best!

As parents, we often worry too much about protecting our young from the elements by putting them in footwear too early, hindering their natural development. Did you know that one of the most important things for children’s feet is actually that they do not wear shoes?

Going barefoot is best for children because little feet start life so incredibly soft and pliable. They need absolute flexibility to develop as Mother Nature intended. Tight fitting socks, rigid soles and materials that don't move with wriggles and stretches, can hamper healthy development.

Growing feet need plenty of freedom for muscles to strengthen, toes to learn to grip and spread and for bones to form in a natural position. The only way this can happen is to be barefoot the majority of the time, especially in the first years of life. An actual fact is that 70% of our brain’s information on how to walk, run, and jump comes from the nerves on the soles of our babies feet; so the more they can feel the ground, the greater the baby’s understanding of their surrounding environment. Along the way, natural movement will happen.

When is the right time to put shoes on my baby and how do I choose the right pair?

The ultimate gift we can give our children is healthy feet. Children's feet are very different from adults, they're wider across the toes, narrower at the heel and the inner arch is lined with fatty tissue. There are also large gaps between the bones, which are soft like jelly. So, not surprising that little feet are quite vulnerable.

Allowing them to go barefoot as often as possible is ideal but not always practical. When choosing a pair of shoes, look for a shoe that mimicks the benefits the child would experience barefoot. Mimicking means choosing a shoe that allows natural movement and flexibility to move with the child freely. The quality of shoe is also important, not only flexible and correct fitting but breathable as well as safe.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHOE

Most women, thanks to Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex in the City, love shopping for shoes but when it comes to buying footwear for our little ones, it becomes a very daunting experience for some.

We want the best for their delicate little feet but where to start?

Choosing the right pair of shoes early on is crucial, as their little feet start life so incredibly soft and pliable, they need absolute flexibility to develop as Mother Nature intended. Tight fitting socks, rigid soles and materials that don't move with wriggles and stretches can hamper healthy development. Alarmingly, they don't feel pain until the damage is done.

So, what could be more essential than getting their shoes right?

Did you know? Toddlers keep their heads up more when they are walking barefoot. The feedback they get from the ground means there is less need to look down, which is what puts them off balance and causes them to fall down. Walking barefoot develops the muscles and ligaments of the foot and increases the strength of the foot's arch therefore, improving awareness of where they are in relation to the space around them and contributes to good posture.

QUICK FOUR STEP-GUIDE TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN BUYING SHOES

Flexibility
Does the shoe have a thin sole that is super flexible? Great. Not sure? Do the flex-test, bend the shoe, but as well try to twist it.

Size & length
Always have room for the toes to wiggle & move. Get the foot measured professionally, always check the shoes fit whilst the child is standing. There should be nearly an adult’s thumb width space between the end of the toes and the shoe. But be aware: children sometimes curl their toes which give the impression of space so hold their foot down with your hand and with the other hand do the thumb test.

Buying a size bigger than your child requires is not ideal, imagine yourself walking in shoes one size too big… Not easy! It incurs the danger to develop bad & unhealthy walking patterns.

Width
Make sure that the toes are not squeezed and can expand in the width. The shape of a shoe should reflect the natural shape of a childs foot, so not be pointed and tapered but round and broad. Toes should be uncompressed and lie flat in a shoe, so little toes have room to spread.

Heel & Ankle Fit
Never restrict a developing foot. Shoes should sit below or above the ankle – and the heel should be nicely secured by the shoe.

Make sure any shoe you put on a growing child’s foot sits below or above the ankle bone, never on it or it restricts natural strengthening of the ankle. The fit around the heel is the only place that the foot should be secured but only enough to ensure the shoe does not come off. Make sure it doesn’t hold the foot so tight it can’t bend and flex.

The 4 Step Fit Test

1. Test the shoe with the flex test - twist in all directions

2. Never buy too small, the toes should have room, but a size bigger isn’t good either

3.Make sure the toes have space to expand.

4. Secure at the heel, and not directly ending at the ankle for not restricting movements.

Size matters - check it on a regular basis
Little feet grow really fast, up to two or three sizes per year until around four years old. Pop in store at Little GEMS or any good children' shoes store will measure your child feet - without obligation. Always put the shoe on your child with them standing to check you have correctly chosen the right size.

Safety
Choose footwear made from safe, soft material. Little feet need to move, they often end up in little ones' mouths so it's great to have confidence that they are safe for those sucking moments. If possible find brands that All use the highest quality leather that meet the strictest international standards, so you can be 100% sure your little one is safe if they put their feet in their mouth.

Ski Holiday at Easter - What Fun!?!

the girls on piste

Well it finally looks as though Spring has arrived!! And boy am I glad, the weather brings a lovely feeling to life in general doesn't it? I have to say I'm feeling really well rested after a week in the Alps where it was also really sunny and warm! 21 degrees on one afternoon!!

Skiing with our family and another family is such a good idea, share the kids, share the babysitting, divide and conquer on the piste! The four children aged between 2 and 8 had a ball - every morning they went to ski school while we went out for a pootle on the slopes. The two older girls were in the same class so had each other for company, the 4 year old boy made lots of friend and my 2 year old girl went dragging her heels to creche. (read Kicking and Screaming for dragging her heels)

our group - minus the 2 year old who is in creche

Now I felt as though the holiday ought to be for everyone so almost everyday I collected my youngest before lunch so she could have time with us in the afternoon and maybe take in a swim. The older kids would all gather and feed - it was a bit animalistic as they were so famished after ski-ing all morning,
and then before you knew it we were being pestered to go back out on the slopes.

After a few days the kids got really confident and as we were situated right next to the nursery run, they begged for us to let them go round and around on the button lift. Of course we were being all sensible about it and taking it in turns to watch every little move closely, but after a while you can get a bit distracted, especially as I was standing next to a rather inviting petite luge, (baby toboggan). So the next thing you know I'm 20 Euros lighter and the proud new owner of a Ferrari red toboggan, so I gather up the 2 year old and the 4 year old for a spot of skidding around. The older two are by now just left on their merry-go-round of a button lift and shooshing down the nursery slope so they are fine.

The 4 year old getting his certficate

Well you'd have thought it would have been plain sailing or should I say sledging, as it was all enclosed with an inflated rim a la bouncy castle style, but the first time the boy went down the slope he literally went through and under the inflated enclosure. Luckily they had a bit of netting too otherwise he'd have been off down the piste. Well, after seeing his face crumpled with tears the 2 year old was understandably reticent about her turn on my snow Ferrari! After a bit of coaxing, I managed to get her to put her feet in the sled and let the break go, so off she went with a little push from mum to send her in her way. Well no-one had noticed the snow hole in the area (when I say no-one I mean of course, me) So in the sled went sending her flying out and over in to the snow. Which she is of course petrified of because it's cold and wet! This of course ended up with the 2 year old in tears too. Anyone having fun yet!!??

the girls again - everyone say fromage!

 There was only one thing for it, Mum would have a go to show everyone it really was a lot of fun and then we were all going to run the gauntlet again! So I squeezed my bottom into a sled designed for a child, I held on tight and got someone to give me a push!! Oh what fun! Until I realised I was careering towards the ESF ski school chalet, so to avoid collision I launched myself off in full flow only to land unceremoniously in a pile of slushy snow just under the window of the ESF ski-school where there was a group of dishy cool ESF instructors gathering for the afternoon session - who noticed. SHAMED!

There was only one thing for it, I picked myself up, collected my toboggan and tried to style it out as all a bit of a laugh for the benefit of the kids! The kids had of course stopped crying and were laughing too (and pointing) so it wasn't a complete disaster and they could then be persuaded to have another go. At this point the older girls had finally tired of shooshing round in a loop skied over to us demanding their turn and making the little ones cry for completely different reasons. It was time to go in, everyone was completely shattered. So we trudged to the chalet with all our gear and as we walk in through the door, the girls pipe up, "can we go swimming now??", "yeah shouted the other two, We want to go swimming!" - relaxing holiday anyone??

How to check the fit of shoes for baby and child.

As you are probably aware we at Little GEMs take pride on making sure that the fit of our shoes to your child's feet is the best it can be while allowing ample growth for their feet. We do measure feet in store, and we are ALWAYS happy to double check your child's shoes whether you have purchased them from us or not, however as we also sell shoes online I thought I should write a little guide for you so you can feel confident in what we do, why we do it and if the shoes you have at home or newly bought are in fact a good fit. Obviously this is just a guide - the best way for us to tell is see the shoe on the foot, and feet do vary considerably, but at least this give you some guidelines to feel confident in using.

Children will probably not tell you they need a new pair of shoes until they are hurting them so check your child's shoes regularly or pop in to a shoe store to get feet measured. A good shop will be happy to measure a child's foot without obligation. 

Signs of needing a new shoe:

• When your child is standing, press on the toe from the front of the shoe - if the toes are at the end of the shoes - time for a new pair!
• Look for significant wear especially in the same area i.e. the heel is worn down completely on one side.
• Wear on side seams or bulging on one side more than another can also be a sign of needing a new pair.
• Blisters or red marks - like pressure points - on the foot when you take off the shoe.

Techniques for checking for a good fit:

• Always check a shoe fit when the child is standing - ideally in the afternoon as feet swell up during the day.
• Look at the fit around the ankle - it should look snug and not gape.
• Press on the toes, there ought to be a about half an inch (representing about a half size) from the end of the toe to the end of the shoe. Much more and you will risk the shoe slipping when worn causing blisters or a tripping hazard - especially with toddlers.
• Rub your thumb across the foot with pressure in a single sweep action (where the toes meet the foot) this is the widest point of the foot, the shoe should 'give' and you should be able to see a shallow ripple of leather - if this does not happen the shoe could be too narrow for the foot and could rub.
• Get your child to walk away from you - look at the back heel of the shoe - it should not move up and down  - this will cause blisters.
• Check for the foot bulging - if it does then it's not a good fit - this happens for example if your child has a high in-step and is trying on a Mary Jane style you will notice the foot bulging up in the gap of the top of the shoe with a Mary Jane style so try a t-bar instead - you will find some styles work better than others for you child, but as they grow feet change a lot.

Urban Myths and bad advice:

• "Buying a shoe that is a size too big will mean they last longer" - shoe brands and feet vary considerably - even if you have been given a measurement for you child's feet you are best to fit the shoe to the foot rather than get too hung up on what the size is on the measure, as foot measures are really only true to the brand that provided them. That said buying a shoe that is clearly too large for foot will make your child walk differently to compensate, may cause blisters and create a tripping hazard. Follow the above tips to get an optimum fit.
• "A finger down the back is room enough to grow" - this was a new one on me when a mum did this on advice from her own mum, however I can't see the logic in this. The room needs to be in front of the toes to allow for growth and spreading of the foot - a finger down the back of the shoe doesn't really show this - how can it?
• 'Breaking in shoes' - this is not a good idea for anyone as it means the shoes don't fit well, but you should never need to do this for children, they need to be able to wear the shoes comfortably from the outset - blister and rub free!

Babies, Toddlers and Children have very different needs from their shoes. 

Babies who are not walking need something to protect and keep their feet warm which are not too tight but not much else. As they learn to crawl and cruise they will probably need a shoe of some sort to enable them to go outside or stay warm. For this stage you will need a a pre-walker shoe. This type of shoe will see you through to walking confidently and the next stage shoe which is a first shoe.

Children need shoes that fit well and allow the foot to action and grow normally without damage to their feet. 

There are lots of different brands on offer boasting different reasons for purchasing them. You have barefoot brands such as Vivobarefoot which advocate the foot being shod in it's most natural state as can be allowed - typical features include a very thin soft flexible sole coupled with extra room in the toe part of the shoe which allow the foot to move as though it's unshod with enough room for the toes to spread out naturally as though barefoot. 

Then you have a more traditional brand such as Startrite which have been making childrens' shoes for over 50 years who offer a more structured shoe, in breathable materials and have wealth of experience in shoeing children. Some styles have arch support and almost all styles have structured heel offering support to the ankle.

Or Bobux which have a bit of both, they are moving towards a more barefoot approach, they create individual lasts for each size which is tweaked for each stage of development, they only make baby and childrens' shoes so all their R&D is on childrens' feet and they use natural breathable soft materials and leather to make a really good quality shoe.

Pre-Walkers:

These need to be very soft and flexible. Think about your baby learning to walk. When your baby/toddler learns to walk it is all in the micro movements and the foot-to-brain feedback that enables them to learn this new life skill, learn their balance and learn to take steps - so the softer the more flexible shoe is, the better, as this doesn't disrupt this essential feedback. If possible I always think that barefoot is best!

Toddlers/Walker:

A good comfortable fit is essential whatever style you go for. Enough growth but not too much that the foot is 'swimming' otherwise they will trip and walk differently to compensate for the ill fitting shoes. 

Walking Children:

In older children it's tempting to chose fashion over comfort, however their feet are still growing and changing so make sure the fit is paramount. Avoid heels which are detrimental to feet development.

Our advice is to try on lots of different shoes in different styles to get one that has the best fit for your child. Get their feet measured regularly and wherever possible - don't put them in shoes! Let's face it we are the walking ape, and so it's best especially for small ones, to let nature works it's magic un-molested! Yes I am aware that it's odd advice for a shoe shop, but it's my mantra!!