What slippers, slippers, shoes: about footwear for kindergarten

Which slippers should you choose for kindergarten to provide children's feet with adequate support in their development? Should healthy kindergarten slippers have a profiled insole? What features should you pay attention to when choosing the best slippers for kindergarten, browsing the rankings of slippers for nursery?

In this article we have collected the most important information regarding breathable, healthy slippers to kindergarten and nursery.

The best slippers for kindergarten, versus bare feet: what do experts recommend?

The human foot is made up of... 26 bones connected to each other by 33 joints, numerous muscles and ligaments, that is why it is so important to provide it with appropriate conditions for development. The best slippers for kindergarten and nursery - which ones?

The optimal development of the feet takes place when the baby moves barefoot. Therefore, experts recommend that small children (if possible) travel without shoes/slippers as often as possible, or only in socks.

However, in many facilities, a change of shoes is required for children. Which slippers to choose for kindergarten, or the widely advertised so-called Will orthopedic slippers be good for all children?

Czy healthy slippers to kindergarten are they always orthopedic slippers?

Until recently, there was a belief that healthy slippers for kindergarten or nursery, they should have a profiled insole and a stiff heel reaching above the ankle joint to preventively protect little feet from flat feet. Physiotherapists and orthopedists agree that such orthopedic slippers and shoes should not be bought "just in case" for normally developing children.

Of course, there is a group of children who should use specialized slippers, e.g. in the case of certain congenital foot defects or neurological diseases, but the selection of such slippers and shoes should be made after consultation with a physiotherapist and/or orthopedist.

What slippers to wear to kindergarten? choose when we suspect that the child has flat feet?

Klaudia Wyszyńska

Physiotherapist at the Daily Rehabilitation Center, Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

A small child's foot is naturally equipped with a special fat pad (Spitzy's fat pad), which disappears only around 4-5 years of age, which is why until this age, in many cases, we talk about physiological flat feet in children. However, if parents have doubts whether their child's feet are developing properly and do not know which kindergarten or nursery slippers will be best for their child, it is worth consulting an experienced pediatric physiotherapist.

The first slippers for nursery: ranking characteristics they should meet slippers for babies

The regulations of many institutions include a provision stating: the requirement for all children in the nursery to have slippers. This means that babies who cannot walk on their own yet also need to be provided with a change of shoes (although it is worth asking the nursery management if this is absolutely necessary).

Healthy slippers First of all, they should be almost imperceptible to the baby, imitating walking barefoot. The ranking of the best models includes socks reinforced with elastic rubber on the bottom, and leather, cotton and woolen slippers with a flexible, non-slip sole.

Make sure that nursery slippers are as light as a feather, breathable, soft and very flexible. The best slippers for nursery should have a sole that will easily yield to the pressure of the parent's hand, bending appropriately in all directions.

The ranking of healthy slippers for nursery includes models with wide toes, providing enough space for the toes. For chubby feet with a high instep, it is worth choosing slippers with Velcro fastening or with elastic rubber around the ankle, thanks to which we can perfectly adjust the slippers to the needs of the foot.

Klaudia Wyszyńska

Physiotherapist at the Daily Rehabilitation Center, Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

When buying slippers for a nursery or kindergarten, you should choose a model in which the child will have approximately 6-10 mm of extra space in the length of the insole (when the feet are fully loaded). Remember that babies' feet grow very quickly, so every 2-3 months you should check whether the nursery slippers have not become too small.

Healthy, breathable kindergarten slippers: what to pay attention to, what they will be like best?

Choosing healthy and breathable slippers for kindergarten is very important, because this is what the child will spend time in 5-8 hours a day. It is important that this type of footwear has several key features:

  • Correct insert length: as in the case of nursery slippers, the best kindergarten slippers, or rather their insole, should have spare length approx. 6-10 mm, when the child is standing. Thanks to this, the child's rapidly growing foot works optimally in the slipper while walking and running. Approximately every 3 months you should check whether the purchased shoes are still good;
  • Shoe weight: healthy slippers for kindergarten should be very light;
  • Flexibility: the best slippers for kindergarten must be very flexible.

The ranking of the models most recommended by experts includes slippers with a flat sole so soft and flexible that it can be easily bent in all directions. The heel counter should also be soft, or maybe slightly stiffened. The upper of the slippers should end below the child's ankles (below the ankle joint).

  • What else should slippers be like for kindergarten? Breathable, made of natural materials such as leather, linen, cotton.

Let's pay special attention to the inner insert, which should be flat (not profiled) and preferably made of leather. Children's feet sweat quite a lot, so breathable kindergarten slippers will ensure proper thermoregulation and comfort for your child.

  • Suitable width and round nose: These are also important features that experts pay attention to when preparing rankings of the best slippers for kindergarten.

Ranking of the best slippers for nursery and kindergarten: whether they exist shoes perfect?

When choosing the best slippers for kindergarten or nursery, it is worth remembering that there will be no single shoe that will perfectly meet the needs of every child. This happens for a simple reason.

Klaudia Wyszyńska

Physiotherapist at the Daily Rehabilitation Center, Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

Each foot develops slightly differently and has different innate characteristics. Some children have quite slim, narrow feet from birth, while other babies have chubby feet with a very high arch. Therefore, when we are wondering which slippers to choose for kindergarten, it is best to try them on for the child and see how they fit on the leg, and then encourage the toddler to take a few steps. Apart from aesthetic values, you should pay attention to whether the slippers do not seem too loose and roomy for the child when walking? Let's ask whether the preschooler is comfortable in them? 

If we have any doubts about which slippers to choose for kindergarten or nursery, it is worth consulting a physiotherapist. Advice from an experienced salesperson working in a store specializing in children's shoes may also be helpful.

 

Medical consultation

Klaudia Wyszyńska

Physiotherapist at the Daily Rehabilitation Center, Institute of Mother and Child

EU funding
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