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Toddlerhood and the best pair of gumboots
When a baby turns 1 they automatically get promoted to toddlerhood. But this promotion comes with its own set of challenges like walking, learning to talk, exploring their world and learning important skills through play.
It’s these early years that really are the best part of life. New experiences, exciting firsts, celebrating milestones; many achievements are packed into only a few brief years.
Of course, toddlers face their own set of unique challenges. Sometimes they’re in a hurry to keep up with older siblings or they lack the maturity that helps with exercising patience when learning a new skill. But, parents can help to positively frame each step of the way to ensure each challenge is fun and rewarding.
Below we will take a look at some of the daily challenges a toddler faces and how a pair of reliable can help them navigate this wonderful yet often challenging time of growing up.
Toddler Tantrums and the need to dress themselves
You’re trying to rush out the door, en route to work or an important appointment, via childcare drop-off and the all-essential coffee stop, of course, but little Billy is digging in his heels, blissfully unaware of the concept of time and the need to make a good impression. Sound frustratingly familiar?
Billy, on the other hand, has narrowed in on the desire to put his shoes on all by himself. But little fingers just won’t work and the shoes aren’t doing what he wants them to do. The more frustrated he gets, the harder it becomes. For Billy, this is the only thing that matters right now.
That’s why, as parents, we need to be one step ahead all the time. Truly, a pair of French Soda gumboots could help you pull off a punctual kindy drop-off, and savour that hot coffee, as you sail on through to your appointment with time to spare!
How’s that, you ask. Well, French Soda wellies are renowned for being easy to pull on and off. Perfect for when you are the grand old age of two and have just realised that shoes and feet do indeed go together!
We love anything that eliminates morning drama to get you out the door faster. But more importantly, giving your child the confidence and independence that they are trying so hard to obtain is definitely a bonus.
The cooped up inside Toddler
This goes without saying, but toddlers need fresh air and daily exercise or they are more likely to catch a bad case of the terrible twos.
No one likes to be cooped up indoors all the time, much less busy little toddlers. With so much to learn in such a short time, outdoor play is essential to their healthy growth and development.
Fresh air and exercise are great regulators of mood and well-being. With research continuing to reveal the damaging effects of excessive screen time on toddlers, it’s vital that they have more opportunities to explore, play, climb and wander so that they can develop good motor skills, gain necessary vitamin D exposure and breathe fresh air from an array of outdoor environments.
While we know it might not be overly inviting to head outside when it’s cold and wet, it’s still important for children to be able to experience the outdoors in all-weather scenarios. With French Soda raincoats and rainboots, that quick trip outside before dinner is entirely possible (and may even serve to prevent that 5 o’clock meltdown!).
And you need not worry about your child’s warmth or comfort. Even when miserable weather strikes, you can still plan an exciting adventure outside. While they have fun dodging raindrops or studying snails, our raincoats and rubber boots do all the hard work to keep their clothes dry and their feet toasty warm.
Toddlers learn through play
Nature is a wonderful early classroom for toddlers. It’s through outdoor play that they learn a plethora of skills that set them up for a solid childhood. Of course, as they run about the yard, chasing butterfly or bee, they learn to consolidate essential motor skills, refine their balance, practise new moves like jumping or clambering up and down small obstacles.
The outdoor world also prompts toddlers to start practising fine motor skills as well. Picking flowers, discovering the texture of bark and stones, making intricate patterns in a sandpit all give children a chance to hone in on the micro elements of nature and perfect smaller, more controlled movements.
So, when those rain clouds gather and the raindrops form into puddles on the ground, it’s a good idea to have a range of play ideas on hand so that you and your little ones can enjoy some rainy day diversions. Mud kitchens are a great sensory play space and so easy to set up. A visit to the local op shop will often yield a wonderful haul of utensils and bowls suitable for mixing up mud pies and making leaf burgers, and an old TV unit can easily be transformed into a play kitchen.
Just as fun, and a perfect example of cause and effect, is the act of making little boats or finding leaves or bark to suit such a purpose. There is a bountiful amount of satisfaction in sending a little vessel off on its journey downstream. And, of course, we can’t leave out good old puddle jumping! It’s an awesome way to build gross motor skills. Aim, run, jump, repeat!
So, make sure you have a pair of French Soda gumboots standing by, and a raincoat ready to throw on, and go out to make the most of all those awesome outside adventures.
Comfort is key when it comes to toddler boots
It’s often the unseen, unnoticed things that cause toddler meltdowns and grumpiness. A spiky zipper, or pinching hair clip can be the difference between pleasant, happy toddlers and total utter chaos. That’s why it’s important to look for clothing and shoes that are designed with kids’ comfort in mind.
Afterall, that precious toddler skin is still very soft making it susceptible to painful blisters and chafing from ill-fitting clothes and footwear.
At French Soda, comfort is on the top of our list when it comes to designing out rainwear. We source the softest, most flexible rubber for our gumboots and add a cosy fleece lining to guarantee little toes and feet stay warm and comfortable all day long. Pull on a pair of 100% cotton socks and you have the winning combination of keeping feet in pure comfort as well as preventing them from getting too sweaty.
W is for Walking
Babies can find their feet as early as 8 months (perhaps we should sneak them an early toddlerhood badge!) and usually within 18 months earth-side. For some time, these first steps are often quite wobbly, with lots of bumps, trips and falls all par for the course until they improve their balance and muscle control.
Popping on a pair of French Soda gumboots certainly won’t hinder their efforts at early walking. Made with super soft rubber so as to bend and flex with their movement, our rainboots also have anti-slip rubber soles to help keep them on their feet. And, let’s face it, they need a lot of help at this point in the journey!
So, we’ve made sure French Soda gumboots come in baby sizes, perfect for all those adventurous babies, curious bubs and little ones who just can’t wait to keep up with older siblings.
Hangouts at the playground.
While all that gross motor skill development is happening, toddlers are also busy developing their social and emotional skills by hanging out with other toddlers. Sometimes it doesn’t look like much is happening at all, but these little souls are busy picking up cues through observation and participation that help them learn skills like sharing, taking turns, negotiating, speaking and recognising facial and body cues.
So, why not maximise all these opportunities to learn? We love trips to the zoo or museum, walks to the playground and fun-filled mums’ group gatherings where, of course, a sturdy pair of French Soda gumboots will help to keep feet steady and warm.
Mummy is everything
You might feel a bit tired and flat some days, but having your own little minis running about the place, singing made up songs and stomping around with imaginary dinosaurs, really does make all the sleepless nights and terrible two moments worth it. At the end of the day, two little arms around your neck, or a sleepy head upon your shoulder, are the best forms of love you could ever imagine! You are their whole world.
It’s no wonder that little ones from 6 months through to 3 years of age can suffer severe separation anxiety. From clinginess to excessive crying to wakefulness, sometimes the only remedy is to be with mama. This in turn can feel quite overwhelming for a mum who just needs to put her feet up for a few moments or wants to knock one thing off her list of 638 things to do; it may certainly seem as though there’s not enough hours in the day.
So we’ve tried to keep it simple, to make sure that your life can be as uncomplicated as possible. French Soda gumboots are easy to clean, and super durable, so you can get back to giving those mummy cuddles as soon as possible.
So, whether you’re tapping your toes in frustration as your three year old insists on putting on their own shoes, or trying to cope with clingy kids and juggle daily run-of-the-mill tasks, it’s helpful to remember that this testing time doesn’t last forever. It is filled with loads of rewarding moments, even if they are miniature-sized! They’re worth celebrating with as many mummy cuddles as you can muster!
We love being part of these early developmental milestones and think our gumboots provide the perfect sturdy shoe to help your little ones as they navigate momentous first steps, independent dressing and taking on the big wide world.
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