Post by contributor Kathleen Quiring
Walking barefoot through the warm summer grass. Who doesn’t feel a bit nostalgic remembering the childhood pleasure of going around barefoot? Almost anyone would agree that it’s enjoyable to kick off one’s shoes every once in a while and feel the earth beneath your feet.
But did you know there are lots of good reasons to encourage your child to go barefoot? Not just occasionally, but as often as possible?
It’s good for all of us, but little ones — whose bodies are growing rapidly — can especially benefit from going without shoes.
Now that the weather’s warmer, I encourage my three-year-old daughter to be barefoot pretty much all the time, as I am. We keep a pair of sandals for each of us in the van, to slip on before entering a store or restaurant (It can be annoying to get hassled by a store manager for being barefoot).
Otherwise, we’re almost always completely unshod, weather permitting.
Here are 5 reasons I try to keep shoes off my little one:
1. To Allow Feet to Grow and Develop the Way They Were Meant To
You may never have noticed this, but shoes actually change the shape of our feet over the course of our lives.
At birth, the human foot gets wider as it progresses to the ends of the toes. (If you take a look at a newborn’s footprint, you might notice this feature). But the average adult’s foot is widest at the ball, and the toes pinch inward. Why is that? Because a lifetime of wearing shoes has actually altered the shape of the foot!
Photo via Flickr CC.
People who live in cultures where going barefoot is the norm don’t have feet like ours. The toes remain spread apart, like a newborn baby’s.
But in our culture, we like the appearance of a tapered toe on our shoes. We’ve actually become conditioned to believe that that’s what a foot should look like. So we don’t create shoes that follow the shape of the foot; instead, we create shoes that our feet have to fit into. Even if it means permanently changing the shape of our feet.
Beginning in infancy — when bones are still forming — we start putting our children’s feet into shoes that look the way we think they should look, ultimately changing the shape of their feet. And changing the shape will, of course, alter how effectively they work.
Leonardo DaVinci once said, “The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.”
I tend to agree. I don’t want to mess with that. That’s why I let my daughter go barefoot as much as possible: to protect her feet, and to let them grow the way they were supposed to!
2. To Encourage Children to Learn a Natural, Healthy Gait
Wearing shoes changes the way we walk. And it isn’t for the better.
When we’re barefoot, we naturally walk more gently, with a shorter stride, putting less pressure on our heels. Our knees bend to cushion the shock of each step. Our toes grip the floor and help propel us forward.
Shoes change all that.
The cushioning on our soles encourages us to slam our heels into the ground, which is harder on our knees. The stiffness of our soles prevents our feet from rolling flexibly forward, so shoes are given an upward-curved toe — called a toe spring — to allow them to rock forward onto the next step. This toe spring lifts our toes off the ground, so they can’t help propel the foot forward as they’re meant to. Our feet get trained to use the wrong muscles to move us forward.
All of these things together mean an unnatural gait that is harder on all of our joints.
If you consistently put shoes on your children right from infancy, they learn this unnatural gait from the start. They never get the chance to strengthen their toes and the tendons in their feet that are supposed to do the bulk of the work. These muscles atrophy, so that when kids finally do take off their shoes and try to run around, it hurts.
Give your kids a chance to learn the right way to walk by letting them go barefoot as much as possible.
3. Improved Safety
I know, I know, I know. The number one reason most people put shoes on their kids is for their safety. To protect their feet from hard, sharp surfaces. But it’s my opinion that in most situations, wearing shoes is actually more dangerous than going barefoot.
In my personal observations, children are much more likely to trip and fall when they’re wearing shoes – especially flip-flops and Crocs. (In my opinion, flip-flops are the most dangerous thing you can put on your kid’s feet, and he’d definitely be better off barefoot).
Many skinned knees and broken bones might be prevented if kids didn’t have pieces of foam dangling precariously from their feet as they climb monkey bars and run along uneven sidewalks. Almost every time my daughter has fallen and hurt herself, she was wearing her doggone Crocs.
Most shoes in general, but especially the slip-on variety, tend to make kids clumsier because they make the wearer less alert to his/her surroundings. They require effort to keep on, and they shift and slide under their soles as they move, making their footing less stable.
I haven’t seen any studies done on children and footwear, but a 1991 paper entitled “Athletic Footwear: Unsafe Due to Perceptual Illusions,” published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, noted that athletes who wore fancy, expensive athletic shoes are actually more prone to injury: “Wearers of expensive running shoes that are promoted as having additional features that protect (e.g., more cushioning, ‘pronation correction’) are injured significantly more frequently than runners wearing inexpensive shoes (costing less than $40).”
According to another study, people in expensive cushioned running shoes were twice as likely to suffer an injury than were people who went running in hard-soled shoes. Because we think we’re protected, we move in ways that aren’t safe for our bodies.
If I had to put shoes on my kid while she played for some reason, I would try to get flexible-soled shoes that strapped on securely, like leather moccasins, so that she could still feel the ground under her feet, but they wouldn’t slip out from under her as she played.
But what about sharp objects? you might ask. Don’t feet need protection from them?
That’s a valid question. But it’s been my experience that kids (and adults) who are used to going barefoot have a heightened awareness of their surroundings. When we go barefoot, we instinctively pay attention to where we’re putting our sensitive feet. We watch the ground in front of us. And because we step more gently when we’re barefoot, we’re apt to notice if we’re starting to put our foot down on something sharp and quickly lift it, avoiding injury.
I have been going almost exclusively barefoot for the last five years, and my daughter for the last three (except in the winter of course), and neither of us has suffered any kind of injury from a sharp object yet. I recently walked all over Toronto and Montreal without incident.
My daughter and I regularly walk all over town and the local parks, and walk to and from the library weekly. We’re never gotten anything worse than a nettle thorn in our feet.
4. Less Wear and Tear on Shoes
My daughter has only owned a few pairs of shoes in her short lifetime (all second-hand). All have gotten so little use, they’ll easily be able to be used by a younger sibling (or two).
This would probably be a silly reason to go barefoot if it was the only one, but it’s a really nice side-effect.
5. Healthier Feet
Shoes trap fungus and bacteria and hold them against your feet. They also provide a lovely, warm, damp environment for them to grow in, inviting things like athlete’s foot and toe fungus and encouraging ingrown toenails.
So keep your kid’s feet healthy by keeping them bare! Sunshine and fresh air are great for feet, too!
Resources for Further Reading/Learning
You Walk Wrong by Adam Sternbergh
The Foot Film (trailer)
Going barefoot can also help with anxiety and sleeping more peacefully at night by grounding you to the earth.
Tania
Great article. Everything makes sense. Going barefoot is so natural, and it’s liberating. I live in Hawaii where going barefoot in public is not uncommon, and I’ve been doing it since I was little. I believe if everyone would go barefoot, this world would be a kinder and gentler place.
tiptoe
Wonderful article! May I just add it’s even better if not just the kids go barefoot but the whole family together. It helps activate the potential we are born with to walk, run, jump and dance barefoot on just about every surface we encounter, by developing stronger muscles, tougher skin, better circulation and it makes us more attentive too as we feel the world with all our senses. That works best at a young age, when learning to walk, but you can adjust to it at any age. I started at an age between 20 and 30 and I’m now almost 50 and still getting better at barefoot hiking long distances in the mountains! So definitely include barefoot family activities in your family life, it’s wonderful to make this experience all together.
Reby
Amazing! thank you for spreading the word, and I agree on letting them being barefoot. It is always been good to feel the nature on our feet so let them experience it too.
Beth
Thanks for commenting Reby! Love it when I find like-minded people. 😀
Joe
I plan on retiring to the Philippines in about another 12 years. Being the hot, humid country that it is, it will probably be pretty much a given that I will be barefoot 100% of the time after my first year there. By that time, my soles should be toughened up to withstand any surface.
L C.
Don’t forget that a kid going barefoot makes it easy to do TICKLE TORTURE on a whim! 🙂
R. Kameron
Cleaner feet, no laundry, and easy access to those scrumptious lil’ piggies. What’s not to love?
Jay
I agree feet were made to be tickled when I was a kid I loved having my feet tickled and I would tickle girls feet too
Koringo
This is so encouraging, my grandson started walking just before he turned one, he loves walking around in barefoot and doesn’t like shoes at all or he’ll trip over. I grew up in bare foot too and my feet, you can imagine hehe!!
good reading though.
karina
Hello
Ny daughter took her first steps when she was 9 months , and I guess she started wearing shoes from around the age of 10 months. Now that I read this, I feel so bad. She’s now almost 13 months. You think that she will change and gain a more natural walking style if I let her walk in socks or barefoot from now on? Or is it too late?
R. Kameron
Socks are tube shaped and constrict the toes the way shoes do. I’d donate them and let her go barefoot from now on.
https://philmaffetone.com/kids-shoes/
Jordan
I rarely ever put socks on my baby’s feet, let alone shoes! They’re a complete waste of money when your child is not walking. The few times it’s cold out and I put socks on him, I take them off when we get inside our destination. Any condition, Snow, Rain, you name it. You won’t spot a shoe on my baby.
I also like to keep as little clothes on him as possible as well, especially during spring & summer months. He’s naked at home basically 24/7. I’ve taken him to the park for a walk with NO diaper or anything one time. I also had to ride home with him naked before because I ran out of diapers and couldn’t get to a store. Most of the time at stores he wears only a diaper, occasionally a shirt. Usually whenever I put him in a bjorn he’s naked. One thing I’ve done is put on specialized sacks on it where he can go potty in, the few times he does.
During winter months I dress him warm but still he goes barefoot. Some days I’ll put socks on him and I’ve only put shoes on him ONCE during winter.
Angela
This is a new product – a barefoot shoe that is made in Germany. It allows the wearer full flexibility and range of motion while providing a strong grip at the bottom to protect the feet from unnatural sharps objects. The “leguanitos” are for children and basically gives them the freedom and comfortable feeling of being barefoot. They encourage the healthy and natural development of a child’s feet – develops strength, balance, and flexibility!!
Roman Ricardo
Why not get barefoot sandals they make you look like you are wearing shoes but you are not. Look at http://sunsandals.net/ for some or look for some on pinterist.
Jill
We lived in New Zealand for 5 years and our kids went barefoot everywhere, even shopping. They were required to do their cross country running for school barefoot – through paddocks where cows resided. It was messy but very memorable. When we moved back to Canada my youngest really didn’t like wearing shoes! Good memories!
Family RnR is the place to discover meaningful family travel and recreation opportunities. http://www.familyrnr.com
Jacky Estacado
Walked and ran around barefoot until about 8 or 9 years old. That’s when I noticed I had no arch from walking wrong (knee’s buckled with each step). Now I have an arch but my femur is already shaped with a curve from all the pressure I put on it. My brother always for shoes and is now two inches taller than me (I’m older than him). I ran hard as a child so this is the price I pay for going barefoot. I’m sure its good to do it once in a while though, but slippers with arch support are phenomenal.
Brittany
I always thought I had wide feet, but I guess it’s just that I’ve spent most of my life barefoot!
My two year old daughter drives me crazy because she loves wearing shoes. I’m alway trying to hide them from her, but somehow she manages to show up in a pair I’d forgotten. I at least try to only has super flexible shoes for my kids so that when they do need them I don’t worry so much.
Louise
Love, love going barefoot. My three kids and I spend most of the time barefoot or in leather slippers (robeez style). My six year old daughter prefers bare feet to shoes in the woods, fields or concrete. She complains about carrying her shoes around cause she never wants to wear them. I’ve found an amazing barefoot shoe company out of Oregon. It’s called Soft Star Shoes, I can’t say enough good things about them. They make adult, kids and baby footwear. All very comfortable and as close to barefoot as you can get.
Keep on trekking barefoot! You’re body is designed for it, skin quickly gets used to the hot temperature of summer pavement or the rough terrain of the mountains. We live in the BC Kootenays and love walking barefoot in our mountains!
Anna
I wore shoes almost my entire childhood. I began wearing them less and less after about 10. Now I go barefoot almost all the time, except to go out in public. But all shoes hurt my feet, except wide flats. I have a low arch, (doesnt cause me problems unless I’m working out, or wearing shoes) I blame it on wearing shoes for half my life. My feet say no to shoes.
Sarah D.
When growing up, we were only required to wear shoes when we left the house. If we were just going in the yard, shoes were optional, unless it was really cold (we lived in VT). My parents were adamant that we take off our shoes when in the house!
Now, as an adult, I follow those same “rules”: Shoes are for leaving the house, optional for the yard, and never in the house. =) My children are learning this, too, except that we do try to have them put something on their feet (like flip flops) most of the time even when in the yard so they don’t get stung. We have a ton of bees in our yard! I think it’s because we don’t mow that often so the clover grows really well. =) Anyway, I figure flip flops aren’t as bad for their feet since they aren’t confining.
Denise
I’ve heard more than once that flips flops are very dangerous, if you’re going to wear shoes. I heard if you wear shoes they need to be more supportive. But I’m no shoe professional.
Denise
I’ve heard more than once that flips flops are very dangerous, if you’re going to wear shoes. I heard if you wear shoes they need to be supportive. But I’m no shoe professional.
But I’m thinking if you never wear shoes, it may be impossible to get shoes on for an important occaision like a prom or a wedding, which would be very embarrassing, or shoes rquired on the job. I think feet need to not be allowed to grow too wide for that reason, since we live in a shod society.
I’ve also read that babies should be barefoot when learning to walk, which makes perfect sense.
Ashley
It’s funny you mentioned “Prom” as a place where you have to wear shoes. That is because I went to my prom barefoot. When I went shopping with my mom for my dress and shoes, finding a dress was easy, but I am tall, so finding shoes was harder. Finally, I asked my mom, “can’t I go barefoot?” Most of the girls will be by the end of the night anyways. When I went to my first daddy-daughter dance, I wore shoes there, but they came off right after the first half hour (I remember telling daddy my feet hurt). The next daddy-daughter dance, I just went barefoot, not shoes to carry or lose. My long prom dress would easily cover my bare feet.
My mom thought about it and said “well they are your feet and you go almost everywhere barefoot, I suppose you can”. There was no policy against it and a few other girls went barefoot as well. The only bad part was how dirty they were when I got home 🙁 the dance floor was not as clean as it looked.
Anyhow when you said prom, I giggled because I didn’t to mine. Now about weddings. One of the duggar girls got married barefoot. I guess I might too. We could have a beach wedding. Sigh, but don’t have a bf right now. It’s hard for tall girls to find nice guys who don’t mind looking up to them!