Tying Shoes Part II

Here is a nice write up about helping your child tie shoes. 

Though most kids' shoes now feature Velcro closures, learning to tie ones own shoes is still considered to be milestone that children should master by 5 or 6 years of age. But, teaching a child to tie his own shoes can be frustrating; kids can lose interest quickly if they feel the task is too difficult, or they may seem to "get it" one day only to completely forget the next.

Have no fear, I've got a few tricks up my sleeves that can make teaching a kid to tie his own shoes a bit easier. All kids learn differently, so try a few of these methods and see what works best for your child.

1. Bunny Ears

Probably the most common method for teaching kids to tie their own shoes is the "Bunny Ears" method.

• Tell the child that he needs to make his shoe laces into "bunny ears."
• First, he needs to secure a knot for the bunny's head. Take the laces and cross them over to make an "X". Then, pull one ear through the bottom of the "X" and pull tight.
• Say, "Now we need to give bunny some ears." Loop the laces into "bunny ears".
• Tell the child that now we need to "make the bunny ears tight so they don't fall off". Then make another "X" using the "bunny ears", slide one "ear" under the "X" and pull tightly

2. Bi-Colored Laces

This is a great tip that can really make learning to tie much easier. Take two laces in two different colors and cut them down the middle. Then sew them together to make two bi-colored laces. Lace a pair of old shoes with these funny shoes strings. Using bi-colored laces can really help a kid who has trouble remembering his right from his left. You can use any learning-to-tie method in combination with your bi-colored laces.

3. Cardboard Cut-Out Shoe

Take a cardboard box and cut out an over-sized shoe shape. Have your kid decorate the shoe in any way he wishes. Using a pen, poke holes for laces. Use the bi-colored lace tip above, but instead of cutting the original laces in two, use two entire laces sewn together to create one long, bi-colored shoe string. Lace the shoe and use any teaching method, using this cut-out. Some kids find it easier and more interesting to practice on an over-sized model.

4. The Squirrel and the Tree

This is a fun method that utilizes a kid friendly story and movements that help kids understand and remember the basic steps to shoe tying.

• Tell the child to create "tree roots" by making a starter knot.
• Make a tree with a long thin loop; hold the loop in the child's right hand.
• With his left hand, take hold of the lace and tell him that a squirrel runs around the tree and jumps into the hole under the tree and comes out the other side (he'll need to switch hands at this point which can be difficult for some kids).

Many parents prefer this trick because it teaches the kid to tie shoes with the single loop method.

Simple idea! Encourage students to be part of the Shoe Tying Team. Write your name in the shoe has soon as you get! I love how the poster has real ribbon or laces to make it pop.

To Tie or Not to Tie

Should teachers teach young children to tie their shoes? Should parents be responsible for this teaching their child to tie their shoes? While teaching first grade I have heard a few kindergarten thru second grade teachers saying that they have enough to teach beside wasting time tying shoes. I don't feel the same way. Teachers have the painstaking job of modeling and teaching a lot of what can be done at home. How to meet and greet a new friend, how to stand next to someone without touching them, how to knock before going into restroom etc. We teach all kinds of things that are not CORE curriculum! Tying shoes takes time but can be so rewarding. Everything is not so black and white- let parents know there is goal in the classroom and I'm sure they will help. Tying shoes can be a simple math center, a writing or reading center and a simple social activity among friends. This week I will develop 2 centers that focus on Tying shoes for Kdgn and first graders. Tying shoes Stay tuned.

The Shoe-Tying Song

Teach your students this catch song, and not only will there be lots of singing going on, but lots of

shoe tying too! This is sung to the tune of “Mulberry Bush.”

This is the way we tie our shoes, tie our shoes, tie our shoes.

This is the way we tie our shoes in kindergarten.

Take the ends and cross the laces, cross the laces, cross the laces.

Take the ends and cross the laces, as we tie our shoes.

Take one lace and loop it through, look it through, loop it through.

Take one lace and loop it through, as we tie our shoes.

Next, you pull the laces down, laces down, laces down.

Next, you pull the laces down, as we tie our shoes.

With one lace we make a loop, make a loop, make a loop.

With one lace we make a loop, as we tie our shoes.

Take one lace and wrap it around, wrap it around, wrap it around.

Take one lace and wrap it around, as we tie our shoes.

Grab the tip and pull it through, pull it through, pull it through.

Grab the tip and pull it through, as we tie our shoes.

Then we have to pull them tight, pull them tight, pull them tight.

Then we have to pull them tight; we can tie our shoes!

Pamel Kilrain—Gr. K

Helotes Elementary

Helotes, TX