Tricks for teaching kids to tie shoes?

[Kara]

I'm trying to teach my 6 yo how to tie his shoes - and he's just not getting it. Does anyone have any special tricks or fun ideas on how to teach this?

[Darcy Baldwin]

Kara - we practiced and practiced, then dropped it and waited for awhile, and then they both picked it up in a heartbeat.

We found some velcro tennis shoes that weren't babyish and just waited it out for awhile and tried again. For me, it wasn't worth the struggle or frustration. Granted, we're not in publis school and don't have to follow those rules some set up, so we could afford to wait awhile.

One of the things that helped when we started back up was to have them tie a shoe that wasn't on their foot. That way, we could be in a relaxed position, instead of contorted over their own shoe/foot.

[Tracyfish]

We're in the same boat...he almost had it in preschool and then just got frustrated. He just wears velcro ones for now, but since he's now learned how to tie his karate belt I think we may give the shoe thing a shot again.

[jessica31876]

I learned really late to tie my shoes and did not even end up learning on my shoes. It was back in the early 80's and I had all these little jumpsuits which tied on the shoulders so I kinda had to learn to tie them if I wanted to wear them. So maybe like Darcy said just give it a little time and come back to it if he just is not getting it right now. It will click eventually. I also think it is easier to learn on something other then his shoe. Try having him tie a bow on a present or tie your shoes instead of his own maybe?

[nikkiARNGwife]

Avery's 6 too and we're waiting a bit longer..right now he wears velcro tennis shoes or crocs or sandals. His fine motor skills still need some work so I know it would just be a huge frustration for him at this point.

Besides..it's only 5 more days til his summer vacation starts and he'll ditch the shoes for 3 months anyway lol

[Leila]

No tips or tricks here, though Devin has a book about shoe tying that he just loves! He's 8½ and can't tie shoes yet. JP only just got the hang of it (though he hasn't really mastered it) in the last six months and he's 11.

I won't say "don't worry, he won't go to college not knowing how to tie shoes," because my brother didn't truly learn to tie shoes until he was in his early 20s. He'll be 40 next week.

[Ginger_79]

I remember we had some board in Kindergarten with pictures and strings where you could do all sorts of knots ect.

Maybe make something yourself with some favourite character? So it doesn't look like "learning to tie shoes" to him? Also, just a thought: Some parents of left handed kids forget that it's harder for some of them to get it when taught be a right handed person. Should your little guy be left handed, find a left handed person to practise with him.

[newfiemountiewife]

Benjamin was actually close to 9 before he got it. We tried a bunch of times, and it just didn't work at all. When he was ready to learn, he got it right away. At the same time, I showed my Amelia (who was 6) and she got it almost on the first try. Rachael couldn't get the hang of it at all. She's 6 now, and I'm going to wait and try again in the fall when she's closer to 7.

[Lyd]

I'm wishing my 6 year old would figure this out as well. DH has a strong aversion to velcro shoes for some reason. I wish he was the one here having to tie everyone's shoes in the morning. I'm just glad summer is almost here. I go on shoe-tieing strike during the summer . . . everyone in SANDALS!!!

[Angie4b1g]

I got Lock Laces for my son who had fine motor skill issues. I figured there was no point stressing him about shoe tying when he had enough to worry about trying to learn to write and so on. Then a year later we tried again and he got it right away.

[MamaBee]

Hmm... I remember something about the bunny going through the bunny hole... anyone else have that? You make one loop with one string... a second loop with the second string... then bunny number one goes around for a kiss and jumps through the hole. Now - it isn't the correct way to tie a shoe, but it was a start.

From parents we know, kids are required to have velco shoes in our schools... don't know until what age, though.

Melissa and Doug has a shoe that you tie... I have it on deck for when kiddo is old enough...

[*Celeste*]

I think teaching them to tie two loops together is easier that bunny around the tree and through the hole.

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/twoloopknot.htm

[nikkiARNGwife]

I can remember when I was in first grade not knowing how to tie my shoes so I'd tie them in a tight knot and tuck the rest of the laces inside my shoes..My mom still likes to fuss at me about those knots..b/c they were so hard to untie lol.

[nun69]

Originally Posted by newfiemountiewife

Benjamin was actually close to 9 before he got it. We tried a bunch of times, and it just didn't work at all. When he was ready to learn, he got it right away. At the same time, I showed my Amelia (who was 6) and she got it almost on the first try.

OMG.....this is EXACTLY what happened in my house with my Ben and Sam {my oldest DD}....and he STILL hates tying his shoes a year later!!!

[jaylensmom]

I'm so glad you started this thread because I thought I was the worst mom ever since my 6 year old does not know how to tie his shoe...

[Tracyfish]

Originally Posted by jaylensmom

I'm so glad you started this thread because I thought I was the worst mom ever since my 6 year old does not know how to tie his shoe...

LOL...me too...made me feel a little better about not pushing the issue.

[Stacey42]

My oldest was nearly 8 before he figured it out. My youngest is 7 & can't do it yeet.

We have some fake shoes with dual colored laces (half yellow & half blue). They are flat shoe shaped pieces made of some kind of stiff foam. I'd drag them out every now & then & we'd spend a little bit practicing for a few days & then set it aside.

DS1's real breakthrough came when he found a pair of shoes he loved (i think they were Star Wars themed) that came laced. I told him if I bought them he had to tie them. Suddenly he was very motivated & figured it out in minutes.

[LibbysMommy]

Is it strange that this is something that Libby HAD to be able to do this year in Kindergarten? I worked on it with Libby last summer when I found that they had to do it this year...the teacher sends home weekly letters and in the first quarter she would talk about how many kids could actually tie their shoes. She never named names which is good, but still - that's a lot of pressure on these little Kindergarteners!!

[farrijc]

I worried about it, too, when my oldest was going into kindergarten. We got a book with laces and instructions, I definitely think it's easier to learn there than on an actual shoe. He did not learn before school started, though, so we wore velcro and did lock laces on his tennis shoes. A few months into school, I decided we really needed to start practicing again. I bought a lego pirate book, showed it to my son, and told him he would earn it by learning to tie his shoes. He got right back to practicing and could do it within the week. Just goes to show, a little motivation never hurts!

[kscwgirl]

Abby's 7 and hasn't figured it out yet. She has 1 pair of tie shoes and she gets so frustrated.

[xboxmom]

I was just thinking about this subject myself...My 8 year old still can't tie his shoes but I think its just because I haven't sat down with him long enough to teach him. It's just so much easier to buy the velcro shoes and be done with it. And when you have 5 kids to juggle....need I say more....

Now that he is doing baseball though and has to have cleats that have to be tied....we are gong to start teaching him to tie for sure!

[Susan Bartolini]

Not sure if you have a Nordstrom near you, but they have Shoe Tying Classes for kids and its free! Apparently they are very good and all kids leave knowing how to tie their shoes.

[Kara]

Susan, that is a fabulous idea! I'll check it out!!!