Barefoot Or Not?

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick question. Do you allow your children to walk about the playschool without shoes?

Personally, I don't think they should, but my colleague doesn't agree.

My argument is that their toes could get trodden on or that they, or someone else, could drop something on them. And also to have to put 20 pairs of shoes on at the end of the day is very time consuming

I'd really appreciate your views as I'm starting to question myself as to whether or not I'm being unreasonable.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Guest

[sienna]

Just a quick question. Do you allow your children to walk about the playschool without shoes?

Personally, I don't think they should, but my colleague doesn't agree.

My argument is that their toes could get trodden on or that they, or someone else, could drop something on them. And also to have to put 20 pairs of shoes on at the end of the day is very time consuming

 

Is there a reason why 20 children are walking around barefooted? Are they interested in walking around without shoes? Perhaps an activity could meet the children's need to walk around without shoes such as painting with their feet on a large sheet of paper. Walking in water/foam/glitter in builders trays...I don't work in pre-school but would advise a risk assessment to assess the danger to children.

 

And also to have to put 20 pairs of shoes on at the end of the day is very time consuming

 

Possibly a good opportunity for children to learn how to put their own shoes and socks on and also to learn to help each other.

 

I hope this helps, hopefully someone will be along shortly with some good advice for you

 

[Alison]

if it is only one or two children I tend to turn a blind eye (or rather I dont rush to put the shoes back on) I do insist on socks staying on for hygiene reasons

 

in general Im a all for children going barefoot(with socks) children need to learn that they can bump their toes and that lego is not the most plesant thing to stand on in bare feet, also for some of the younger children they are still developing their co-ordination some parents insist on children wearing shoe as soon as they crawl and many children miss the vital stage of walking around barefoot to refine their balanceing skills. I think as long as the environment is clean and safe why not let them take their shoes off, I dont make a big issue of it

[Rea]

I'd prefer them to keep the shoes on due to the toys on the floor, but sometimes its nice to take them off. Did I read somewhere that children need to 'feel' their feet in order to develop good physical skills? Something about doing PE with no pumps on? Theres probably an arguement for and against depending on your setting. My current nursery have underfloor heating which leads to my feet feeling too big for my shoes and rather sweaty(!), but in the church hall I used to work in I wouldnt dream of going bare foot unless the rarely seen cleaner had been in.

Could you designate an area where shoes can be removed? Book corner, jigsaw table? IT area?

[Guest]

We generally don't encourage it as the florr is polished and cold as well as there being the problems of bumped toes and standing on toys. But that is my only concern really. Often we have children who have lovely carpets at home I imagine as they immediately take their shoes off at the door. As we have free flow outdoor play also I find the putting shoes on part really slows that down. However this week as we have had lots in wellies or wet shoes from the snow I have let the children take their shoes/wellie/etc off and explained that they need to be very careful about the floor and toes. It has gone ok but as a special thing I think as the weather has changed everything at our setting.

[louby loo]

Like Alsion I tend to turn 'blind eye' to one or two if it fits in with their play, but on the whole it's somekind of footwear at all times........ the reason I do this is because some years ago we had a bomb scare in our building - on a freezing day, and we had quite a few with no shoes on --we weren't able collect shoes onway out. Hence staff had to hold children, whilst at the same time care for others etc. We couldn't even play running around games to warm up!!!

 

It all ended ok, the children were given blankets by the firemen/police - but the 'no shoes' was a really issue.

 

xxx

[sienna]

Like Alsion I tend to turn 'blind eye' to one or two if it fits in with their play, but on the whole it's somekind of footwear at all times........ the reason I do this is because some years ago we had a bomb scare in our building - on a freezing day, and we had quite a few with no shoes on --we weren't able collect shoes onway out. Hence staff had to hold children, whilst at the same time care for others etc. We couldn't even play running around games to warm up!!!

 

It all ended ok, the children were given blankets by the firemen/police - but the 'no shoes' was a really issue.

 

Gosh...good point there louby loo, I certainly didn't think of that one.

 

[Beau]

In my old setting the children changed from outdoor shoes into indoor ones on arrival. I insisted that these be kept on throughout the session. Many of my reasons were the same as Rea's but I also asked the question - What would happen during an emergency and needing to vacate the premises quickly? The car park at our hall, our muster point, was laid with sharp stones which would've injured the children's feet. I for one wouldn't be able to carry 5 three/four year olds!

[surfer]

You could have all the children in the hall doing some kind of PE barefoot!! You can't tell them to wear their shoes just incase of a fire drill!!

[louby loo]

this is very true - but they may be slightly older if doing PE.

 

xxx

[rachelllps]

Some interesting comments here, we don't have a firm policy about shoes/no shoes but we do have a crate where children can place their shoes if they want to take them off and the general thing seems to be that children are used to taking their shoes off when they come in (maybe something to do with what they do at home)

 

We do encourage socks at least because it is a wooden floor in a church hall and even the best risk asessment can't do every inch for splinters! For the sock reason we also encourage walking not running.

 

Have to say in Winter, Louby loo, we only do fire drills when the children have shoes on!

 

But also the whole shoes off, shoes on thing encourages independence and getting ready for school doesn't it?

[Guest]

we have asked all parents if their child wears slippers/slipper socks that they could bring them in and we have had a good response, it all depends on the individual child some always have shoes on some love to have nothing on their feet. For a full day care setting children wearing outdoor shoes all day can affect their play either sitting uncomfortably or hiding in a den and hurting others.