Summer is the time for staying up late and watching stars or catching fireflies, a time for homemade ice cream, popsicles and lemonade. And, summer time is the time for going bare foot. Many of us parents remember fondly being able to spend the warm summer months without shoes and there are some of us (myself included) who have the calluses and tough feet to show for years of childhood roaming. With the summer bare feet season, there are some concerns that we should be on the look out for…
Not that it should stop us from letting our children go barefoot, but there are some health safety issues to keep in mind. Bare feet are more likely to get injured and there are some basic safety considerations to encourage our children to adhere to: bee stings can be a common hazard, but children can be taught that lawns or gardens with lots of blooming clover or other flowers are grand attractions for bees, bees are also out in full force in the late mornings and middle of the day so one is less likely to step on one in the early mornings or afternoon. I used to encourage my kids to watch out for bees if they were running in the sprinkler or playing out in a field with bare feet. It is easy to accidentally step on one who is gathering nectar off a clover or dandelion blossom.
Children with bare feet also need to watch out for other hazards like berry bushes, thistles, broken glass, nails and other sharp objects. Even toys and tools with sharp edges left lying in the garden can be a potential danger to a bare footed child. Bare feet can also be easier to bruise and bang into rocks, planters and other solid objects.
I think there are some activities that should not be done with bare feet—riding bicycles, climbing trees or even playing some sports (baseball & soccer for example) can invite injuries and be downright dangerous for children who are not wearing shoes. It is also a good idea to encourage children to put their shoes on as it gets dark since they will not be able to look out for hazards as well.
It is possible for children to enjoy the joys of bare feet during the long days of summer, it just takes some focus on learning how to avoid hazards and keep little feet safe and injury-free.