From where they are stored to how they are tied, shoes are a frequently debated topic in my house... and I know we're not alone in this. Case in point, when you walk into a home, do you leave your shoes at the door? Not only does science say to ditch the footwear in your home, but there's an old adage that agrees. The adage says, "When you leave your shoes at the doorstep, you leave your troubles behind."
Speaking of shoe troubles, shoelaces have been a serious pain point in our house. As my kids transitioned from velcro closures to laces, these no-tie shoe laces from Amazon were a game changer! You're welcome.
Below are five shoe-themed things to teach your kids.
1. A silly joke.
Laugh your socks off with this shoe-themed joke.
What kind of shoes do frogs wear? Closed-toad shoes.
2. A new vocabulary word.
Like a car or the human body, a shoe has very specific names for each of its parts.
What are those little plastic things at the end of shoelaces called? Those are aglets and they serve two purposes: to keep the fibers of the laces from unraveling and to make it easier to thread laces through eyelets.
3. A word puzzle.
To solve a rebus, consider not just the words but the placement, size, color, and quantity of everything within the box (and sometimes just outside the box!) when trying to decipher the puzzle.
4. A fun fact.
Finding the right pair of shoes can greatly impact both a person's comfort and health. That's because a significant portion of skeletal anatomy makes up the human foot.
Did you know that a quarter of your bones are located in your feet alone? Of the 206 bones in your body, 26 of them are in your feet. Learn more about your foot bones before you pick out your next pair of shoes.
5. Teach a personal discovery.
From flip-flops to high heels, clogs to cowboy boots, there are so many different types of footwear available on the market today. Which types of shoes do you find yourself wearing most often?
How many pairs of shoes do you own? According to an eBay study focusing specifically on sneakers, the average American owns six pairs of sneakers, and that number is significantly higher if you happen to live in Nevada (19 pairs) and Arkansas (11 pairs).
Do you have extra shoes sitting around your home? You can recycle your gently used footwear to keep them out of landfills. Drop them off at a local shoe recycling location or ship them for free with Zappos for Good.
"It is better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction." – Herman Siu.
