Vivobarefoot shoes & top tips for healthy feet

A major milestone – for many parents at least – is buying your infant's first pair of shoes. A whole industry has grown around preserving these shoes for the "memory box" as they do not get much wear! My heart sinks when I see children who can't even walk properly wearing shoes. Bare feet around the home and garden during good weather is far better for health foot development as you will see from Georgie Britt Hodgson tips below. And, as children grow, well-fitting, soft and pliable shoes are best.

For Harriet we tried a pair of Vivobarefoot black trainers – ideal for wearing to school and outdoor activities. These shoes allow feet to develop and work naturally: standing, walking and running. They look and are – according to Harriet – extremely comfortable. So much so that I am thinking about getting a pair for myself.

The children's shoe range begins at £35. The Neo Velcro Leather trainers – black or pink – retail at £55.

PWT rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Available from VivoBarefoot

Georgie Britt Hodgson, practitioner of Bio Regulatory Medicine and trained by Lee Saxby, gives her top tips in choosing shoes and how to keep your children's feet healthy.

What to look for in children's footwear

• You should be able to bend the shoe in half, if it doesn't, it is too rigid and will limit movement.
• Choose a shoe with a sole that is as thin and tough as possible, just enough to be puncture resistant but will still allow your child to feel the variety of terrain under his/her feet which will develop that all important strength and coordination.
• Look for shoes with a wide toe box, toes need plenty of room to wiggle, stretch and flex as children move and grow.
• Avoid shoes with arch support or bulky, thick soles as much as possible.

What to do

• Be completely barefoot as much as possible, free their feet and allow your children to play as nature intended.
• Standing up onto your tip toes is great for building strength, coordination and letting the foot find its own internal support for balancing.
• Kiddies should be able to lift their big toes up, independently of the others, which develops that all important coordination – try fun exercises.
• Expose your kiddies to running in and on a variety of surfaces - stones, water, leaves, fields, sand - this will expose them to a variety of senses and help them to develop vital sensory skills and a sense of their own bodyweight.