Shoe Tying Made Easy!

By Bonnie Owens on February 2nd, 2010

tying-shoelaces-1

Next to potty training, shoe tying is the most dreaded milestone for many parents. It is not that the actual act of tying is difficult, but it is tricky to put into words how to do it. In fact, showing them how you do it kind of looks like a magic trick. “You tuck this here, pull that there and, tada!” Meanwhile, your child is just trying to figure out how to make those darn bunny ears. And 4-6 year olds are not exactly known for their tenacity for learning. Sure they think it is fun to learn new things; but when the going get tough, they get going. So you have a difficult lesson to teach to an unmotivated pupil. You could just keep them in velcro through high school or you can try these tips to make shoe tying easier and more fun.

Make sure they understand your lingo. Songs and poems are a great way to help kids remember how to tie their shoes, but first you have to teach your child what they mean. If you go straight into “bunny ears” or “under the bridge”, you will likely look up to find your child staring at you with a clueless expression on their face. To kids, a shoelace is just a long string. It is hard for them to distinguish which part is the bunny ear or which part is the bridge without you explicitly showing them.
Use a prop. Give your child something to hold in front of them and tie. There are “prop” shoes that are made specifically for kids to practice their tying. Or you can make your own by lacing long, wide laces through the back of a strong paper plate or shoebox top. These props make it much easier for kids to concentrate because it enables them to look at the task head on rather than peering over their knee and around their leg to see what is going on. Once they master the art of tying on their prop, it will be a lot easier for them to do it with the shoe on their foot.
Add a little color. Take two different colored laces and tie them together. Placing the connecting knot inside the shoe in the middle at the base of the shoelace holes. Lace shoes ensuring that the remaining laces (the part left for tying) are a different color on each side. This will help kids differentiate between each lace when they are tying. And who knows, you might accidentally start a fashion trend at school!