The Source sandals my youngest daughter is now wearing are not only cute, but also very durable.
By EVA BEN-DAVIDsandal 88 248(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Source sandals my youngest daughter is now wearing are not only cute, with a small jellyfish design on the straps, but also very durable, not deteriorating from hiking or even walking in water with them. The triple-layer sole is very flexible and the sandals are lightweight, making them also a good choice for everyday wear. Available in different colors and different prints, the price for Source sandals for kids is NIS 169; for a list of stores where you can find them, go to www.source-israel.co.il.
The gold-colored Papaya flats, model Ballerina Forma, which look like a little variation on ballerina shoes, were to the liking of a 10-year-old test subject, although she mentioned they weren't really comfortable for running because the strap on the top of the foot was pulling down on her. These shoes are appropriate on certain occasions when something a little dressier is required, but for day-to-day summer wear sandals are better for her, since she tends to sweat too much in these. Papaya offers a wide variety of cute girls' sandals with butterflies, flowers and higher or flatter soles; to check out the collection, you can go on-line at www.papaya.co.il.
At Maxim Kids at the posh shopping stretch on Kikar Hamedina in Tel Aviv, you can find high-scale brand shoes such as Prada or Dolce and Gabana, if you are willing to spend between NIS 690 and NIS 890 for a pair of sandals that are quickly outgrown anyway. Luckily, the store also carries other brands; for example Sweet Dolls and Maxim Kids, which have many cute shoes for festive occasions and day-to-day wear, for under NIS 300. A little girl who loves to dress up for the holidays adored the pink sandals with a string of silver hearts attached to the front strap. The rather thick sole is not flexible, so this is definitely not your everyday choice; the price for these Maxim Kids sandals is NIS 269. And if you're looking for a special outfit for a party, you might find it in this store as well. Check out the Web site at www.maxim-kids.com to get an impression.
Sunglasses are a must also for your kids, so it's good to get them in the habit of wearing them young. At the Opticana stores you can find fashionable sunglasses for kids from ages three to 12, which of course offer UV-protection. Some frames are colorful with stripes or polka dots in pink or green, but my daughter opted for a more conventional black pair of sunglasses with white polka dots on the inside of the legs. The price for the kids' sunglasses at Opticana is NIS 99.
Golf Kids has a collection of children's clothes with a nostalgic touch to it, featuring old-fashioned pictures and texts in honor of Israel's 60th birthday. You'll find, for example, shorts illustrated with the text Dabru Ivrit (Speak Hebrew) or prints with old ads for ice cream or soft drinks. The price for these items is NIS 24.90.
For newborns, Tsutsikim has supercute soft-cloth gift bags containing either a shirt and pants or onesies and long pants, plus a hat and small doll. The price for these bags are NIS 79.90-NIS 89.90. The Tsutsikim are available in some 120 stores; to find out where, call (03) 682-6921.
Havaianas make nice beach shoes for adults, but also for kids. Its new summer collection has toe slippers with decorations of animals in danger of extinction, monsters, stripes, flowers, apples or fairies. The IPE-series this year features pictures of panthers and toads; part of the sales profits of this series, sold at NIS 119 a pair, will go to the protection of endangered animal species. The prices for the other models are NIS 80-NIS 90 a pair.
And when they come out of the pool or the ocean, kids will love to wrap themselves inside a towel with hood with one of their favorite cartoon characters. A little boy loves his Spiderman towel, and demands to dry himself with it every time he gets out of the water/shower. The towel with hood, made by Home Style, is NIS 39.90.
