Are you looking for the perfect children's shoe?
Do you want to support the healthy development of your child's feet?
Then you've come to the right place.
In this blog article, you will learn how you can easily and inexpensively support the development of your child's little feet.
1. The perfect children's shoe
When a child takes its first steps, parents ask themselves what the best shoe is for their little feet. Which shoe promotes healthy growth of the feet and supports optimal development of the growing bones, cartilage, muscles and ligaments?
The answer is very simple: No one!
You can spend a long time looking for the perfect first walker or children's shoe.
For the optimal development of children's feet, the healthiest thing is not to wear shoes!
2. Why is walking barefoot so healthy?
Walking barefoot is the natural way for children’s feet to develop.
By walking barefoot, balance, foot muscles and foot bones are trained and can develop and grow optimally.
Walking barefoot promotes the sensory perception of the feet, as the feet have direct contact with the ground and thus receive information about the condition of the surface. The soles of the feet have special sensors called proprioceptors. The sensors send information directly to the brain. The brain processes this information, improving and training balance, posture and walking.
This helps children develop a better sense of their body and improve their movement skills.
The children develop a better sense of balance because they feel the ground better, which in turn means that these children can walk more safely and better on uneven surfaces!
Walking barefoot also promotes the healthy development of the foot. The muscles, cartilage and tendons can grow optimally, which improves the arch of the foot and improves the foot position .
3. Is walking barefoot always better?
Of course, children cannot always walk barefoot!
Cold floors and sharp or pointed surfaces mean that children cannot always walk barefoot.
Then the children should wear non-slip socks or shoes with a sole that is as soft, thin and flexible as possible. The shoes should be light and allow the child to feel the ground and there should be enough space and flexibility to allow the healthy growth of the feet.
4. Promote walking barefoot!
In summary, parents should allow their children to go barefoot as often as possible and as long as temperatures and safety permit.
Especially in the first years of life, the healthy development of the bones, tendons, cartilage and muscles of the foot is crucial, as well as for promoting good balance, safe walking and good posture.
If walking barefoot is not possible, you should make sure that the shoes have a soft and flexible sole, are light and non-slip and have enough space for the toes.
Walking barefoot is an important part of a child’s foot development and should therefore be encouraged whenever possible.
So let your children take off their shoes more often and explore the world with their bare feet!
