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Illustration brings to life children's ideas for perfect school shoes

An illustration has been created of the UK's dream school shoes after a survey found what features they would love to have - including disco lights in the soles and a camera feature

[Low angle view of primary school students sitting together in a line while at school in the North East of England. The view is of their feet.]

Parents said buying shoes was one of the worst parts of back-to-school prep(Image: Getty Images)

Designers have transformed children's dream school shoes into reality with new illustrations. The playful artwork brings to life the whimsical ideas of youngsters who spend their days in school footwear, featuring disco lights in the soles, mood-responsive colour-changing laces, and a secret compartment for sweets.

It follows a survey of 1,000 six- to 11 year olds which revealed that 46 per cent would appreciate built-in trackers to prevent getting lost, while 44 per cent fancied a camera feature for capturing moments with mates. Over half wished their shoes could grant them cheetah-like speed, and 47 per cent desired teleportation powers.

[Close up shiny neat girls school shoes, feet crossed under chair]

A third of children preferred having a black shoe(Image: Getty Images)

For two-thirds of the children, aesthetics were important, but not paramount. The majority (80 per cent) prioritised comfort above all else when it came to footwear.

Parents echoed this sentiment, ranking comfort as their top concern, followed by quality and durability.

Simon Wilson, managing director at Deichmann, which commissioned the research and is offering Buy One Get One Half Price across all kids' school shoes, said: "The imagination of children should always be celebrated - they have some many fantastic ideas."

"There are plenty of times when we've all probably needed a built-in tracking function to help us get around...or even a bit of extra speed to get us to where we need to go," he added.

Other creative features included voice-activated laces and magnetic clasps which snap together.

When it comes to colour, 31 per cent of children favoured the classic black, though many girls expressed a desire for floral or starry embellishments to add a touch of sparkle.

Boys, on the other hand, mostly preferred a single colour, with some suggesting camouflage or bold shapes for decoration.

Despite differing tastes in design, over half of both boys and girls believed their ideal school shoe would surpass any currently available in stores

The survey revealed that half of parents find purchasing school shoes the most annoying part of back-to-school preparation, yet nearly half allow their children significant input in the decision-making process.

In terms of shopping preferences, parents prioritise good value (61 per cent), a wide range of sizes (55 per cent), and convenient store locations (54 per cent), according to data from OnePoll.com

Simon commented: "We know getting kids ready for Back to School can be a tricky time for parents and offering the best value school shoes is top of our priority list too.

"Although the summer holidays have just started, thinking about this now could help avoid the last-minute rush in the weeks before the new term starts.

"It's important the shopping process is as efficient as possible - parents want to know they can select from a wide range of styles and sizes and find footwear that is great quality and durable."

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