Lands' End Swimwear for Kids

As an affiliate with Lands' End, I recently had the opportunity to participate in an event to learn more about their swimwear. The Lands' End kids swimwear is rated as excellent using a relatively new rating designation for sun protective textiles and clothing, called UPF or Ultraviolet Protection Factor. This means it blocks 98% of harmful UV rays.  The fabric is quick drying so it is comfortable in and out of the water. And even better, the color is fade resistant so it will look good all summer long.  They carry the kids swimwear in extended sizes including toddler, plus and husky for most items.

"Have you ever tried to wrestle a toddler back into a wet one piece tank style swim suit? Skip the drama and opt for the tankini suits for young girls. Having separate pull on bottoms make trips to the rest room much easier."        Uniform Mom

For girls, you will find a wide variety of styles including tankini tops and bottoms, bikini tops and bottoms, swim mini's, skirted one pieces and basic tank suits.  Suits are featured in four different collections:

• ShoreSide collection feature red, white and blue colors with a nod to a nautical theme.
• Saltwater Taffy collection features bright colors, ruffles and fun prints.
• Coconut Cove collection features floral appliques and sequin details in summer colors.
• Smart Swim features the best value suits.

I bought my daughter Lands' End swimwear last summer. She swam almost everyday, sometimes twice a day at summer camp.  It held up all summer long through our beach vacation at the end of the summer. Here's the swim outfit she picked out (this turquoise blue is her favorite color) and I ordered for her for this summer:

The boys swim trunks are offered in solids colors, color block styles and prints.  They feature cargo pockets and a comfortable elastic waistband for pull on simplicity.  Boys swim Ts come in solid colors and color block styles, as well as some in fun graphic prints.

"Have you ever burned your toes on the hot sand?Yea, me too. I wish we had water shoes when we were kids."   Uniform Mom

I also loved learning about the kids new water shoes and sandals.  Water shoes are quick drying and lightweight.  They are made for kids to wear playing in and out of the water.  They have styles with and without toe protection. They are great for summer camp.  These water shoes are easy to slip on and off because of the "rip grip and bungee adjustability".   They are also are perfect for beach play. The traction sole and cushioned foot bed would making walking over broken seashells a breeze.

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APMA Launches New Children's Foot Health Campaign

(c) APMA

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) launched a new online educational resource for medical professionals and parents. The "First Steps: Keeping Kids' Feet Healthy and Happy" campaign aims to educate the general public about the importance of maintaining children's foot health at all ages, and the role today's podiatrist plays in promoting positive foot health. Pain-free feet are the first step in making sure children stay active and healthy.

"The most critical stage of the foot's development is during a child's first year, when feet grow rapidly. It's important that parents pay close attention to children's feet even before they start to walk, beginning at birth and continuing as they take their first steps, go to school, and participate in sports."

APMA President Frank Spinosa, DPM  

Don't let a child's foot pain stop them in their tracks. Today's podiatrists are uniquely qualified among medical professionals to treat the complex structure of the foot and ankle, based on their level of education, training, and experience. They can provide guidance for keeping children's feet healthy at all developmental stages and treat any injuries or abnormalities.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation's leading professional organization for today's podiatrists. They have created a suite of education materials as part of the First Steps campaign, including an online resource page, poster, brochure, videos, and a Pinterest board of children's products that have earned the APMA Seal of Acceptance.

Examples of School Uniform Policies

As a reader of this blog, your child likely attends a school with a uniform policy or a uniform dress code. Most school's now post their policy online on the school's website or the PTA website.  Please take a minute and add a link to your school's written policy.

In the comments below, share with us:

1. What type of school? Public, Private, Charter, Parochial, etc.
2. Where is the school located? City and State & Country if you are outside the US.
3. URL Link to the school's written policy:

(image used with permission from Microsoft)

Celebrating National Foot Care Month

Does your kid need new kicks for school?

The American Podiatric Medical Associations promotes April as National Foot Care Month.  They conducted a national study conducted in 2012 that investigated teenagers' attitudes toward their overall foot health.  Here are a few key findings:

• Only about half of teenagers see feet as important to overall health; few recognize their complexity and the need for expert care.
• Teenagers are just as diligent as adults (or in some cases, more so) in caring for their bodies, except their feet.
• Most teens participate in some type of sport, and of them, almost 4 in 10 say they have injured their feet doing so.
• Two in 10 suffer from foot pain from uncomfortable shoes – girls more so than boys. High heels are the most painful shoe choice. A third of girls say they would rather go barefoot than wear shoes!

Throughout the month, we will be celebrating shoes, socks, and foot care. Upcoming posts will highlight several affiliate vendors that carry school shoes and socks in the Retail Round Up Series.  We are participating in several shoe giveaways (Hotter Shoes and Mozo Shoes) this month.  You gotta enter to win and fans of Uniform Mom will find easy entries available.

Schoolbelles - Retail Round Up Series

Schoolbelles is a family owned business. They state that their “passion for uniforms is a legacy handed down since 1956 by our founder, Mary Carroll. Today, three generations have continued her tradition of manufacturing and providing high quality uniforms with great service for reasonable prices.” 

They work with over 1000 schools and organizations and have a team of representatives to assist with creating a uniform program. They are one of few uniform suppliers that operates their own sewing factory in Cleveland, OH to maintain quality and inventory levels. They offer a guarantee on their premium line of uniforms that items will hold up to 180 days of wear.  They are based in Cleveland with store locations across the mid-west.

Ohio Cleveland Cincinnati  Fairlawn South Euclid Toledo

Illinois Bridgeview Chicago North Michigan Madison Heights Westland

Indianapolis, Indiana Taylor Mill, Kentucky Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

They offer a full catalog of premium uniforms for all sizes (preschool through adult). They also carry value line items that work well with most dress codes. They are currently undergoing a redesign to evolve with the changing market. I will update this post after they launch their new website later this year.

Video Pick: School Kids Around the World

This video pick from charmichanify shows clips of "Public school children across the globe in their uniforms and dress codes".

Snow Days and Make Up Days

Because of the unusually harsh winter, many schools had a record number of snow closing and days with delayed openings this year.  In states where laws mandate a minimum number of instructional days, most schools have contingency plans in place to deal with snow make up days.  But this year, many schools have exceeded those options and local school boards are scrambling to adjust the school calendars.  So how is your school planning to make up the days?  I'm hearing rumors of schools talking about different options, such as:

• Converting the remaining teacher work days to snow make up days
• Shortening Spring Break to use those days as snow makeup days
• Scheduling select Saturdays to hold make up days
• Extending the length of the school day for remaining days for a few additional minutes
• Extending the school year into the summer

Has your school board decided how to schedule additional snow make up days?  Which option are they choosing at your school?  What other options are being considered?  Which option do you prefer?

(photo used with permission from Microsoft)