Fear of walking on sand and grass

[likessleep]

Anyone any experience of this? DS is 20 months old and I wondered how long this 'phase' might last?

He also hates wearing shoes without socks.

Any similar experiences very much welcomed!

Thanks

[IkeaCatalogue]

normal - this will pass

the sensation of walking on literally shifting sands can be v disconcerting

shoes without socks may rub - crocs may be the answer?

[likessleep]

thanks.
i can't even get shoes on him without socks, he pulls his feet in and starts crying whenever we try.
not a biggie, i just wondered really.
dh is of the attitude of leave him in the middle of the sand and he'll used to it, but i think that's a bit mean.
i think it's more the feel of things that are unfamiliar to him that is disconcerting for him.
thanks for posting

[Gargula]

Hi,
My little boy (19 months) is like this. He also freaks out when I try to put sandals on him. I have been a little worried about it, but also, in his case, because he walks on tiptoes and I think that could indicate some kind of sensory issue.
I've asked for him to be referred for the tip toe walking but will wait and see what happens for the other stuff. Come to think of it a friend's young lad also has this sort of "foot issue" so I think it's probably quite common.

[Lakota]

My elder boy was the same, I remember him trying to lift his feet up out of a big sand pit, and also being a bit funny about grass. Maybe just sit him on a rug on the grass with no socks on, and let him explore when he's ready.

I'm afraid I can't remember how long he didn't like it for, but it wasn't a worrying length of time. He's now 4, although still prefers to wear socks with his sandals!

[thisisyesterday]

ds1 was like that. in fact, he wouldn;t go on/in sand at all,
he is 4.5 now and still doesn';t like going out with bare feet, has very sensitive feet, likes socks with sandals etc et

[yyyy]

I hated sand as a child and still do. It's all to do with the texture - can't bear a crumby kitchen floor with bare feet either.

Now, I can hide my fear and be brave to take Dcs to the beach, but will always keep trainers and socks on and sit on a blanket, which DCs know they mustn't get sand on. I can help with a sandcastle if I have a spade, but can't use my hands. Last summer however (for the first time) I took DCs to the beach on my own and had to deal with wet sandy children - honestly my worst nightmare, but I did it! So he might grow out of it when he's 38. Sorry that's not helpful is it?

I love the feel of grass on bare feet though, so perhaps he's not like me at all

[Elk]

dd1 was like this. Until she was 2.6 she refused to even go into her sand pit. I used to have to make the sandcastles, she would tap the top of the bucket and I would remove it for her without her even touching the sandpit let alone the sand. As for grass, I used to take a blanket everywhere as she wouldn't even sit on it.

She has just turned 6 and now walks/runs everywhere in bare feet if she can. I never forced her to do it and she has come to terms with grass/sand all by herself.

[chevre]

lots of them do this. i give you a month before you post a thread saying 'my ds won't keep his shoes on what shall i do?'

tis annoying at the time

[Acinonyx]

Dd went a whole year (around 2ish) refusing to walk on grass (with or without shoes). Made parks rather pointless and was very inconvenient.

[angel1976]

Tried putting DS (16 months old) in sandals for the last few weeks. He hated the Reefs. Tried putting these Next sandals on him (hated them as well, kept drawing his feet in and cried when the sandals were on). But today we bought some Clarks sandals for him and he was absolutely fine with them! I think it was the fact that the Clarks sandals were more 'shoe-like' iykwim and we bought leather ones as opposed to the normal material that sandals are normally made with (glad we didn't get the wetsuit-material doodles!). What type of sandals have you tried?

DS hated the sand at 7 months old, loves it now and will happily play in sandpit all day long. He used to not mind walking on gravel but now cries if you put his bare feet on those... What next???

[Dysgu]

DD1 was like this - hated sand (and we live by the beach) for ages. Now she loves it and plays in the sandpit and wants to go to the beach all the time.

Still prefers socks with shoes - even crocs!

Didn't like grass when she was younger but that is not a problem for her any more either.

We changed nothing and she just made her own mind up as she went along.

This too shall pass...

[likessleep]

thank you - those are so reassuring!

yyyy - ds definitely doesn't mind a 'crumby' kitchen floor, i know that

ds doesn't like the feel of crumbs/food on his hands though and got very upset a few weeks back when we went on a noisy, vibrating boat. i think he is quite sensitive to the feel of things.

i'll try the rug on the grass - we have a rug in our living room, so he is used to that. maybe it's because our house is predominantly hard floor that that makes him even more sensitive to it (than if we had a deep shag pile ).

thanks for posting.

[Vintagepommery]

DD2 wouldn't walk on sand at all at 18 months.

The next yr she walked on sand but wouldn't take her shoes off.

The year after that on sand with shoes off!!

[screamingabdab]

likessleep DS1 (age 8) is like this. He is very sensitive to smell, touch, and taste. He still wears crocs with socks, like dysgu says (bless). Can't remember when he started to tolerate sand and grass - probably around age 3.

[likessleep]

i know screamingadab hardly a fashion statement (mind you, grandad is impressed with the shorts, socks and shoes combo!)

[Didylicious]

my 1y old isn't quite walking yet - cruising and crawling - but he doesn't particularly like the texture of grass - or our doormat. He likes sand though.
I wonder how long this phase will last too!
It's quite good if we go for a picnic though - because he'll stay on the rug - it's like a virtual playpen. It gives me time to eat a sandwich before I have to chase after him again!