About three months ago we received a pair of Ramblers - Montessori Classroom shoes from Soft Star Shoes for review. Do you think we were excited?

Even as an infant we found purposeful, comfortable, easy to put on clothing for Otis. Soft cotton, comfy elastic waist pants, calm but fun designs. Otis is ready to go to the playground, climb a tree or go to school! 

Children spend so much time at school, good school shoes are really important. For school shoes I am looking for;

• Comfort. Children need to be able to move! I want Otis to be able to concentrate and not have to worry about his shoes when running, sitting, squatting, dancing, climbing - learning! I don't want his shoes to be a distraction. The first thing I noticed when opening these shoes was how soft the leather is. Otis wore them to bed the first night he received them. I checked in the morning assuming he would have kicked them off. Surprised to find he wore them all night! As they are so soft and flexible they are perfect for children to sit comfortably criss cross on the classroom floor. We've experienced nothing but comfort - no red marks or rubbing. 

• Easy to put on and take off. The faster to get on and off at school the better. The Ramblers have elastic on each side so the young child can simply pull them on and they fit snuggly and won't come off. I am sure this makes teachers happy!

• Suitable for summer and winter. Our school requires closed in shoes for safety, Otis has worn these comfortably in the heat and on cooler days. He can wear socks but usually chooses not to. 

• Health. Have you seen how flexible the Soft Star Shoe soles are? The sole flexes with the child's foot. Children's feet are still developing and the flexibility offered by Soft Star Shoes is the next best thing to bare feet. The soles have excellent grip too - no slipping. Our shoes are lightweight, breathable and have plenty of space which allows for natural movement of the foot.

• Fun. Children deserve fun clothes - we choose fun, happy clothing! We love these colours and Soft Star Shoes have so many colourful options and motifs. 

It's important that our shoes wear well - are long lasting. Otis' last pair of Soft Star Shoes lasted well over a year before he grew out of them. They still looked fantastic. These pictures are of Otis' shoes that he has worn everyday for three months. They have been given some rough treatment but look great, no scuffing or other signs of wear.

Until we found Soft Star Shoes I didn't look into ethically made shoes. I didn't think it was possible. Soft Star Shoes are made by hand in Oregon. This is Otis' second pair and both times we have found the sizing spot on. We used the online sizing guide and suggest if you are in doubt or in-between sizes - size up.  

The best judge of the shoes is the child. Otis chooses to wear these everyday which is a big sign of approval. Close up picture below - you can see they are well made.

The flexible sole and excellent grip also make these shoes totally suitable for adventuring and climbing trees.

This is a FAN-TAS-TIC article and a must read for parents looking for back to school shoes - The Benefits of Classroom Shoes on Children's Play, Discovery, and Learning in Waldorf, Montessori, and Other Educational Settings. 

Thank you to Soft Star Shoes for providing parents with a fun, healthy option for our children's feet!