Learn from the experts about how and when to help your child learn how to tie their shoes!
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So you are sending your kiddo to school soon in their new pair of lace-up shoes. Now I want you to count how many times you have leaned down to tie their shoe. The next step is to multiply that by 30. Why 30 you may ask?–because the average classroom has 30 students, meaning 30 pairs of shoes to keep tied.
Let’s help those teachers out as well as teach your child a valuable life skill that will give them the independence to wear all types of shoes for the rest of their life! For the frustrated parent, or teacher, I have gathered some great tips and activities to help you and your kiddo! I too will be using them as I start to teach my own daughter how to tie her shoes–yay!
(My mom who taught kindergarten for 20 years and tied many shoes is thrilled that I’m writing this post to help fellow teachers.)
Fine Motor Skills
Tying shoes is a fine motor skills. Before kids can use both hands to wrap the “bunny around the tree” they have to have some level of understand of what their hands can do.
Can they?
- Feed themselves with a fork and spoon?
- Build a tower with small blocks?
- Button or zip up jackets and coats?
- Make intricate playdough creations with a variety of colors?
- Cut along a fairly straight line? (Doesn’t have to be perfect!)
If they are struggling with any of the skills above, or seem to struggle with fine motor skills in general, they might not be ready to tie their shoes yet and need more practice using their hands and fingers. (Check out our huge collection of fine motor skills here!) Bonus skill is sequncing. If you child can understand first, second, next, or last, this will also help with mastering the steps for tying shoes.
If they are mastering these skills and more, it’s time to add on shoe tying.
Getting Ready to Tie Shoes
As I tried to teach my kiddos to tie their shoes, we first practiced with crafts and games that involved string. There are many ideas posted below, but stringing beads along a shoelace or making candy necklaces, is a very fun way to get familiar with how shoe tying can work.
Next, try working on shoe tying during a calm time of the day. When you are running out the door to get somewhere is NOT the right time to focus on tying shoes. Make it part of your morning routine, or practice on each other’s shoes. Sometimes tying mommy or daddy’s shoes can be easier, and your child will having fun walking around in “Big Shoes!”
Shoe Tying Rhymes
Using a rhyme or song to help with the steps can make a big difference. There are old ones and new ones. When I was doing an internet search for shoe tying rhymes, I found a few versions of the Bunny Ears song. This one works if you are making two loops and tying them together. This is our favorite version:
Bunny ears, Bunny ears, playing by a tree.
Criss-cross the tree, He tries to catch me.
Bunny ears, Bunny ears, jumped into the hole,
He popped out the other side beautiful and bold.
If you are using the one loop method, there is a simple rhyme for this one too:
Over, under, around and through,
Meet Mr. Bunny Rabbit, pull and through.
Or you can make up your own silly rhymes to get your child excited to tie their shoes.
More Posts on Teaching Kids How to Tie Their Shoes
9 Tips to Help Kids Learn How to Tie a Shoe by Therapy Fun Zone
8 Tips for Parents Teaching How to Tie Shoes by I Can Teach My Child
How to Tie a Shoe Cereal Box Model by Kids Activities Blog
Tissue Box Shoe Model by Laughing Kids Learn
Shoes and Learning to Tie them Books for Fun by Growing Book by Book
Shoe Tying Egg Carton Model & Toys to Play and Practice by Sugar Aunts
More Shoe Resources
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wood Lacing Sneaker-affiliate link
ALEX Toys Little Hands One, Two Tie My Shoe-affiliate link
Tie Your Shoes Bunny Ears Book-affiliate link
Thanks for learning with us today. If you enjoyed the post please pin & share it with others so they can learn too! Love, Katie & the Kiddos
Nice collections of shoe tying tips, thanks!