Bring your feet out of hibernation and explore the world!

We are delighted to be working with Bernie Landels, an internationally-certified Infant Massage Instructor (IAIM) since 2002, and stocking her new Book, Finding Their Feet. Bernie has kindly agreed to write some guest blog posts for us as well, starting with this fascinating insight into our feet and how you can help your children 'find their feet' this summer!

With summer fast approaching here in the UK and Europe it is time to kick off your shoes and socks, bring your feet out of hibernation and explore the world. Your feet are a fascinating feet-ure of the human body that often get forgotten.

Take a moment and look at the sole of your foot, or your kid’s feet. We know that the skin on our palms is different to the rest of our body, and so is the skin on our feet. Firstly, you won’t find any hairs (did you just check?) and secondly have you ever noticed after a long soak in the bath your hands and feet are the only parts of your body that seem to wrinkle like prunes?

I hadn’t really thought much about why they end up like prunes until writing my book……

“You’ll notice there are no hairs as soles and palms have what’s called ‘glabrous’ skin. This is a thick layer of skin swimming with thousands of nerve endings, and is considered a major organ for sensing the external environment. Now take a closer look and you will see ridges or lines that make that cute, unique footprint. Beyond predicting love and life expectancy (according to some), the undulating surface allows for movement and increases the surface area of their foot, thus increasing their ability to grip and twist, and for the foot to expand.

Have you ever thought about why feet get all wrinkly after a long bath or soak in the hot tub? There’s one popular theory about absorbing water and the outer layer of our skin swelling, but a more likely reason is thanks to our self-regulating body and the spontaneous reflex to increase our surface area for gripping when wet. You might have seen racing cars changing their tyres to suit the conditions, slicks for dry weather and rain (anti-hydroplaning) ones for the wet. How amazing is our body that it does it automatically, with no need to change feet. (Care still needs to be taken when there is water on the kitchen or bathroom floor.)

The skin itself is also an amazing barrier, designed to protect. So, if you are worried about dirt and the germs or disease your bare foot could be exposed to, stop a moment and think about the environment created in the shoe. With more sweat glands (250,000) in the feet than anywhere else on your body, there is more risk of fungal and bacterial infections from wearing shoes (just ask any mum of a teenage son!). You’re also more likely to get sick from hand–mouth contact. Think about what kids touch in a day: playground equipment, rails, toilets. And given the world’s recent pandemic, we are all now experts on hand hygiene.”

Let’s chat about some summer-time fun and help your children ‘find their feet’ (and you too?)..

The feet are a major sensing organ: Have a shoe/sock/slipper free zone at home. For more stimulation head outside or create texture trails from nature and manufactured materials. The brain needs input to help with knowing where the feet are, balance and moving.

The feet (and hands) are designed to grip: trees and slides are great places to challenge the soles of the feet, defy gravity and go up! Get the kids involved by building obstacle courses with slopping planks to go up and down.

The skin twists in response to the movement of the 26 bones in each foot: draw or paint with the feet to increase movement, awareness and motor skills. Lay out some large sheets of paper or plastic and go for it! Can they draw a smiley face and write their name? Take it outdoors and write in the sand or mud with the feet.

When we walk our foot and therefore our skin expands under our weight: being barefoot allows for this to happen, when shoes are needed ensure they are wide, flexible and flat - that’s where Happy Little Soles can help out with a pair of cool ‘barefoot’ sandals to protect the feet, after all that is why footwear was first invented.

Finally, nothing nicer than stinky smelly feet so combat the sweat by increasing barefoot time and investing in shoes and socks that are made from natural materials. I love my pair of Solmate Socks (also available here!).

Give the feet in your world a summer to remember full of fun, freedom and fitness. Happy Little Soles will help you out with a pair of cool ‘barefoot’ sandals to protect the feet and if you want to learn more about little feet grab a copy of my book ‘Finding Their Feet - Every parents guide to milestones and movement’ and join me on a journey from womb to walking, why the feet are important for both physical and cognitive development.

Bernie Landels