Do you allow barefoot walking in the garden?-childminders

[Ripeberry]

Hi, just been reading some Ofsted inspection reports and the inspectors love the fact that kids take off their shoes when in the house.
But what about the grassy areas of the garden.
Would it be a BIG no-no to walk barefoot?
Just wondered as i've always let my kids walk around with no shoes on, especially in hot weather when they are using the paddling pool.

My mindees have no shoes on all summer in the garden, I have never thought of putting them on to be honest, they dont wear them inside at all.

I would literally have to attach the shoes to the feet if I were to want them to keep them on in the garden, or not them out at all!

I make sure I do my 'risk assessment' ( ) to see there is no dangerous objects about!

I don't see why they can't walk in the garden barefoot. I have grass and a patio area which the children can walk on. Inside the house they take their shoes off anyway, saves my carpet from getting mucky.

The only place I don't let them barefoot is the park, older teens tend to congregate at night as there are no wardens anymore and think its funny to break glass bottles on the grass and sometimes in the sand. I have written to the council about this but nothing is done to stop them.

As long as you rightly do your risk assessment before going out, they should be ok.

Thanks for that, i do love to see kids barefoot in the grass, better than stuffy smelly socks and shoes.