When Ameli was just starting to walk, I took her out onto the grass one day and she hated it. She screamed, wanted up and cried. I was mortified at the thought that my London-born, concrete jungle baby might not like the outdoors. I was assured by friends that this was not abnormal, and that she just needed to get used it.  Fortunately, they were somewhat accurate, but I did decide  there and then that Ameli would need to go barefoot more often. I’m not exactly a farm child, myself, but I love being barefoot, and I love being in slops/flipflops/thongs – whatever you call them where you’re from. Unfortunately, living in the wettest country in the world, with more overcast, cloudy or cold days than sunny ones, barefoot or summery shoes aren’t always practical, especially for a child, so I was really excited to discover these VivoBarefoot shoes when I was invited to the Canoe Inc. Press Event. So what is VivoBarefoot? It’s a range of footwear designed in conjunction with podiatrists to mimic walking barefoot. Now, I’d be lying if I said  I understood this, and as with everything else, ‘like’ nature isn’t as good as nature itself, but it’s a huge step forward from regular shoes – which, of course, we still use too, but  it’s good have these as a viable option. These shoes come with no heel, no midsole, no arch support, and no gimmicks. They make the 200,000 nerve endings, 33 muscles, 28 bones and 19 ligaments in the foot do the work they were meant to do.  There’s a whole lot of science behind it, which you can read more about. Now, I’ve not tried these myself, but from a mother’s perspective, here’s what I think: The Vivobarefoot shoes for children are great. They are easy to put on and  keep on with a Velcro strap, and they look really pretty. We chose the pink Pally set, and they just look comfortable. Which they seem to be. While Ameli loves wearing shoes, she does tend to take them off after not too long, but from the first time we used these, Ameli wore them the whole day without taking them off once.  Also, they seem to have a pretty fair  grip, as she is a rather clumsy little girl and trips over herself quite easily. In these  she doesn’t fall over quite as much – whether that’s too do with the sole, or the way she’s walking I’m not sure, but they are useful. VivoBarefoot do say that the soles are puncture resistant and provide all the health benefits of walking barefoot. While not the cheapest shoes on the market – and do you want to put developing feet into the cheapest on the market? – the VivoBarefoot shoes we’ve trialled are well made, waterproof, and good quality. As compared to other shoes  we’ve had, they’ve not developed cracks or had glue come loose, so that’s a definite winner, making them value for money, in my book.

Personally, considering that Ameli’s feet are going to have to carry her around for the rest of her life, I’m happier to spend a little more money on something that’s good for her, even if it means having a few less shoes in the wardrobe.

Competition VivoBarefoot is a lovely company, with a fantastic client-centred ethos.  They are offering  a Diary of a First Child reader the opportunity to try a pair of Pally VivoBarefoot shoes worth £49. To be in with a chance to win, visit VivoBarefoot, select a colour (subject to availability) and size, then return here, leaving your preference in a comment. For ONE additional entry you can follow  VivoBarefoot (please leave a message on their wall saying I sent you!) AND/OR follow Diary of a First Child on Facebook. Competition closes at 23:59 on 20 June. The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org.

The winner is Maya Russel

Here’s some extra info on the VivoBarefoot range: VIVOBAREFOOT kids – Barefoot is Best from VIVOBAREFOOT on Vimeo.

You do not have to tweet or share this competition to enter, but doing so helps ensure that I can keep bringing you giveaways! You can subscribe to Diary of a First Child by RSS or email. You can also follow us on Facebook or on Twitter. We hope to see you back again soon!