Directions for Tying Shoes for Kids

Tying shoes for kids can be frustrating for the child and the adult. Children must remember that it takes some practice to get it right, and grown-ups must keep in mind that most kids don't have the manual dexterity needed for the task until they are between 5 and 7 years old. The simplest shoe tying directions where a child is told to make two bunny ear-shaped loops and tie them together, does not produce a very secure knot. Most kids do well with old-fashioned instructions and they learn the task easier when using different colored laces.

Things You'll Need

  • Lace-up shoes
  • 1 white shoe lace
  • 1 colored shoe lace

Instructions

    • 1

      Introduce shoe-tying to kids as a game. Sing a special song whenever it's time for your child to tie his shoes. It will work even better if the lyrics of the song are the directions for shoe-tying. Make certain that your child can distinguish between left and right, as this knowledge makes it easier to learn about tying shoes.

    • 2

      Make a single shoe lace out of laces that are two different colors (one white). Let your child pick out the colors he wants to use. Cut each lace in half and tie or stitch the different colors together. Then lace both of the shoes he will be tying with one of the customized two-toned laces you have created.

    • 3

      Hand one shoe to your child and use one shoe yourself. Have your child watch your hands and mimic your actions. Help him learn to tie while the shoe rests on the floor or the table. It's easier to learn the movements when the shoe is not on his foot.

    • 4

      Show your child how to cross one lace over the other to form an X, and then pull one string under the other from the front of the shoe toward the back. Instruct your child to grab the left lace with his left hand and grab the lace that he just pulled through the X with his right hand. Then instruct him to pull hard on both laces in a downward position -- the left lace toward the left side of the shoe and the right lace toward the right side of the shoe.

    • 5

      Show your child how to make a loop in the shoelace. For a right-handed child, show him how to make a loop with his left hand. Then show him how to circle the bottom of that loop with the other lace using his right hand and weave the right-side lace through the hole that is created by the circle. Show him how to pull the lace through the hole to create another loop and pull tight. Do the reverse for a child who is left-handed.

    • 6

      Practice at least five times each day with the child watching you first and then trying it for himself. Praise him when he gets a step right and shrug it off if he makes mistakes. With a few days of practice, your child will be tying his own shoes.

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