skipping the socks

There’s nothing cuter than baby socks, but I’m here today with a suggestion:

Skip socks (and shoes) as often as possible, from birth all the way until forever.

The analogy that really clicks this for me (credit to @ontrackbaby for this!) is that wearing socks is for your feet what trying to do daily tasks of life with mittens on would be to your hands.

Going without socks & shoes:

> allows the youngest babies to gain sensory input through their feet (which contain many times more nerve endings than other parts of the body)–from blankets, the carpet & floor, toys, and even the air.

> encourages early movement because feet slip less than socks, so babies can get maximum leverage as they explore rolling, creeping, crawling, and pulling up to stand.

> leads to best gross motor development as toddlers and beyond practice walking, climbing, pivoting, and adjusting to different surfaces. They can look up and around them as they move, which means better balance & coordination: socks desensitize feet, so kids feel the need to look down to steady themselves. The sensory input they get from their feet helps them develop their sense of proprioception (where their bodies are in space), again supporting balance and agility.

Of course we’ll choose socks/shoes if the environment is chilly, dirty, or treacherous, or if a child has a particular need to wear socks & shoes more often as advised by a doctor.

But when you can, and especially when kids are awake and active, let them be barefoot as much as possible!

I’m Jessica Brown, an AMS certified Montessori teacher, and at Clementine, we offer parent-child classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers…like mommy-and-me, but more. We learn and chat about topics like this one both in and out of the classroom. If you’re local to Libertyville/northern Lake County, IL and are interested in finding more about our community, I’d love to hear from you!