Shoe Tying Tricks for Kids

/ Mary, Mother of the Light Academy/

Some things are just easier to teach than others.  We grow up learning how to do something and we try to teach our kids how to do those things the same way that we learned.  We all learn differently, though.  What worked for you, may not work for your children.  This is one of the most important lessons in parenting.  

Teaching your child to tie their shoes can take patience.  I mean, we all kind of forgot what the world is like when our hands were ten times smaller.  But have no fear…this lesson doesn’t need to be that difficult.

Experts say the best way to teach your little one how to tie their shoes is actually the grown up way.  Just follow the steps below:

  1. Sit behind your child and use your hands to guide theirs.  

  2. Hold one lace in one hand and the other lace in the other hand.  

  3. Criss-cross them into an X and then tuck one lace through the hole.  

  4. Pull both laces to tighten.

  5. Next, create a “bunny ear” with each lace. Again, cross the “ears” over to create an “X”. Take the bottom “bunny ear” and loop it over and then under the top one to create your first knot. 

This is easier than some of the other ways children are taught to tie their shoes. Some children also learn better when the shoe is off.

Want some shoe-tying tricks? Here are great some tips from Scary Mommy.

  • Add some dots to your kid’s laces to show them where to hold. This will help guide your kid toward the perfect knot.

  • Use a clothespin to help hold the laces and loops in place. Eventually, your kid will do it themselves. But as they figure things out, an extra hand can be a big help.

  • Avoid buying your kid shoes with thin shoelaces. Thick shoelaces are easier for young kids to grasp and will help them make a secure knot.

  • Is your child left-handed? If you’re right-handed, sit in front of them while teaching them to tie their shoes. It’ll be much easier for them to follow along.

  • Make your child’s laces two different colors. This will help them connect certain movements to each one, memorize the moves of each lace, and avoid confusion.

For children that learn better by watching, try having them watch you tie your shoes first OR when all else fails – go to YouTube!  We live in a digital age and sometimes a video is more successful than we could ever be.

Happy tying!