Warm feet for healthy kids February 23, 2009

It does not matter whether you need snow boots or just winter shoes for children, the important thing is that you need to keep those little feet warm. Look at the choices between winter boots and snow boots. The local condition will prescribe the type of shoe; icy, wet or snowy environment are the main considerations.

It is very important to know the difference between snow boots and winter boots too. Warm winter boots will merely keep little toes warmer, whereas snow boots will add more traction to the mix against slippery conditions. Of course, you do want to keep them stylish and in fashion still! Winter shoes for children, as any other item, comes in varieties and styles to suite their personalities too.
Younger children will prefer Velcro over laces and it will be easier for you to take the shoes on and off.

You will want to ease the pain of shopping for winter shoes by making it as quick as possible. You will find that by spending a little time on the internet with your child to see what catch their eye, will already make it easier. Don’t assume that you can shop for your little one, you may just be surprised! Children have not made their minds up with what they like, and today’s favourite orange is tomorrow’s favourite red!

Discuss the types of winter boots with your child, and make it clear which ones you are NOT buying. The last thing you want is a tantrum in the shop and a frustrated sales assistant. In the end, it is important to grant your child their own choice with a clear understanding of your own expectations.
Choose a store that sells quality winter boots for children and make sure your child is properly sized. Buying online is well and good, but you must make sure you know the perfect/correct size for your child.

At the store, allow your child to try shoes on and taking it off without assistance. If she struggles, you may want to consider another choice.

Top five things to Consider:
1. Will the shoes be worn indoors or out? Many styles and variety comes pintsize variety suitable for both.
2. Does your child wear uniform to school? If so, how will the chosen winter shoes for your child fit with their school uniform?
3. Can the shoes be worn in milder climates? It would be good as you will get value for money all year round!
4. Are the winter shoes child friendly?
5. Will your child’s feet be protected against the elements by the materials used?

Any item of clothing not willingly worn by the young ones is a waste of time and money! If the shoe fits their taste and style, they will wear it.

Kiddies Winter Wonderland November 30, 2008

There are so many children’s winter boots and shoes in the shops for the season, they are spoiled for choice! Children, these days, tend to go for sophisticated, elegant styles, often against the wishes of their parents. Influenced by their favourite celebrities, they demand expensive designer ranges which can be totally impractical, rather than practical, well-fitting shoes from children’s shoe specialist shops, such as Clarks or Start-rite.

Children’s foot size can increase considerably throughout the season, and it’s important for both feet to be measured by a foot specialist. When children find a shoe style they like, after being measured, the child should be asked to walk round the shoe shop to check whether they hurt anywhere. With the child standing, press at the front of the shoe to check how much room there is to allow for growth. Check that the sides don’t ‘bag’ out and there isn’t too much spare room at the heel.

As the shoes – or boots – are to be worn during the coldest season, it’s important that they will protect against the bitterly cold temperatures typical of the season. It’s always best to buy leather as this will protect against cold and rain, and allow the skin to breathe. Leather also stretches slightly resulting in shoes which last longer and fit more comfortably. Lace up shoes or shoes which have bars across the front are more suitable for children as they won’t come off when the child is running and playing. Check that the soles of the shoes are strong and made of thick rubber, making them skid proof.

Children, of course, have their own ideas of the fashionable shoe styles they want to wear, and usually they don’t always correspond with their parent’s wishes. Children often choose something like ‘moonboots’ made from silver lurex, priced at £45. They are also tempted by Fizz boots, priced at around £50, in light pink or turquoise colours. Fashionable styles like these are expensive and aren’t designed to last for the coldest 5 or 6 months of the year.

Really fashionable children’s shoes and boots are often not designed for vigorous rough and tumble play, and are often built of materials too thin to protect against severe winter conditions. If parents and children can compromise, there are some great and practical styles available in the shops.

Start-rite, among other children’s shops, has a large range of winter shoes and boots specially designed for children. Designs are guaranteed to last against normal children’s wear and tear, and styles appeal to the most fashionable kid. Boot styles such as Amber-Leigh and Flowerchild are made from leather and come in appealing trendy colours. Both parents and children love them.

Shoes makes chlidren October 2, 2008

Do you think that a group of children wearing uniform and smart school shoes look more or less trustworthy than children wearing anything?

We often read stories in the paper today of groups of youths terrifying elder people in the streets. Often no aggressive behaviour takes place and it is merely the fact that the children are in a large groups which seems to scare people. This means that we are judging these groups purely by appearance not by actual character traits or personality. I think that this does not occur so often when the group is smartly dressed in school uniform and smart school shoes rather than any home clothes and random shoes.

The reasons for this are two-fold. Firstly we tend to behave better the smarter we are dressed. The Uniform and school shoes give the children an identity and they know that they will be quickly held to account for bad behaviour to their school. We used to be told at school that whenever we wore our uniform we were ambassadors to the school.

Secondly we perceive people differently when they are wearing uniform. For instance when thugs appear in court they always put on a nice suit and shoes. This means that to the jury and judge they look a lot less threatening and trustworthy than they would in an old tracksuit and trainers.

When I was at school it seemed that my mother and I were always going shopping for new school shoes and glasses. I seemed to grow out of or loose these two essential pieces of school kit at an alarming rate. We would always go to the same shoe shop in town because they had pre-agreed with the school which models of school shoes were and were not acceptable for students to be wearing from their range.

I do not thing that children should have to wear uniform school shoes however if the school does have a uniform policy then the children should have to wear school shoes that conform to certain guidelines. For instance my shoes had to be plain black, lace up leather shoes.

To go as far as saying that children have to wear one specific model of school shoe is stupid. Every child’s feet are different and require a shoe to take their unique shape. I have very wide feet and as such there were only a few suitable models in the shoe shop that I would be comfortable in.