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.

[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.

[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?