The Importance of Being Barefoot...

There's so much focus on development of the hand in Montessori.

You can read why that is here: Why Does Montessori Focus SO Much on Developing the Hands?

But today we're talking about feet and their importance in infant and toddler development.

The Importance of Being Barefoot...

The soles of the feet are rich in nerve endings, which send sensory information to the brain.

For children, being barefoot is an opportunity for sensorial exploration.

It's also a great way to strengthen the muscles of the feet and ankles, as well as improve balance, gross motor skills, flexibility, and posture.
In The Barefoot Book, Dr. Daniel Howell explains that even good quality shoes eliminate most sensory feedback from the sole to the brain.

In turn, the consequence of always wearing shoes:

• diminishes the flexibility of the foot and toes
• alters the positions of the joints in the foot, ankle, knee, hip and spine
• reduces the gripping/push off function of the toes
• dramatically reduces the spring action/shock absorption functions of the arch of the foot

3 Ways To Promote Sensory Exploration Through the Feet

1. Ensure Children Have Freedom of Movement

Freedom of Movement is so important for children.

Clothing and shoes should not restrict them from any type of movement. This is how they learn about their bodies.

Keep them barefoot as often as safely possible.

For infants and toddlers learning to walk, bare feet provides better traction so they can learn to move themselves around.