How to tie shoelaces

How the heck do you teach a child to do it? DS1 is 5 1/2 yo. Tried this
morning, again. He couldn't/wouldn't even copy holding the laces 5cm from the
thumb knot (the knot you make to start), let alone *make* the thumb knot.
Fortunately his school shoes have velcro -- a deliberate choice by me!

At what age do kids typically learn to tie their shoelaces? And how do you
teach it?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

"Chookie" wrote in

At what age do kids typically learn to tie their shoelaces? And how do
you
teach it?

Hunter was 6yo and Luke was 4yo. I teach the make one loop and then rap the
other lace around it but there are many many ways to tie a shoe. I googled
it once. I thought Hunter would never learn but he finally did ;-) Luke
was quite young IMO but he has pretty good fine motor skills and is
extremely determined about things like that.


--
Nikki, mama to
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Brock 4/06
Ben 4/06

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
At what age do kids typically learn to tie their shoelaces? And how do
you
teach it?

I learned it before kindergarten, watching either Romper Room or Hobo Kelly
on TV. This means I learned the "two rabbit ear" method, whereas my husband
learned the "rabbit through the hole" method. Which, of course, we each
tried to teach the kids, confusing them greatly, until they learned it in
kindergarten with yet another story: Something about snakes in the grass,
then the bunny hops up, another bunny chases around it into the hole". I
think they tie shoes like my husband.

I do know, from coaching and watching years of soccer, that it isn't
apparent to most kids what you mean by double knotting your shoes. :-)

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
How the heck do you teach a child to do it? DS1 is 5 1/2 yo. Tried this
morning, again. He couldn't/wouldn't even copy holding the laces 5cm from
the
thumb knot (the knot you make to start), let alone *make* the thumb knot.
Fortunately his school shoes have velcro -- a deliberate choice by me!

At what age do kids typically learn to tie their shoelaces? And how do
you
teach it?

DS is 5yo and he's got the first step down, crossing one lace under the
other. Now, I've just got to show him to make two bunny ears and cross them
again. The two bunny ears method was what I remember learning first as a
child, then I graduated to the more common method later on. Anyway, to
answer your question, our school requires the children know how by first
grade, because the teachers don't want to tie 30 children's shoelaces
several times a day.

"toypup" wrote in message
et...
DS is 5yo and he's got the first step down, crossing one lace under
the other. Now, I've just got to show him to make two bunny ears
and cross them again. The two bunny ears method was what I remember
learning first as a child, then I graduated to the more common
method later on. Anyway, to answer your question, our school
requires the children know how by first grade, because the teachers
don't want to tie 30 children's shoelaces several times a day.

I must say that the more you talk about your school, the more I
dislike it. I'm glad it's a good fit for you, but gosh, it seems like
they are just chock full of pressure about almost everything. Do they
require kids to wear tie shoes too? One of the most popular styles of
sneakers at the moment are no-tie. They are permanently laced with
somewhat elastic laces, and you just slip them on. Then of course
there are the Velcro styles that have been around for years. I also
found that if I tie the shoes in the morning with a double knot, they
will generally stay tied until I untie them.

My kids are 8 and 11. They can both tie their shoes, but the 8 year
old still has problems getting a tie that's really tight enough. I
can't honestly remember when they each learned though.

Bizby

"bizby40" wrote in message
...

"toypup" wrote in message
et...
DS is 5yo and he's got the first step down, crossing one lace under the
other. Now, I've just got to show him to make two bunny ears and cross
them again. The two bunny ears method was what I remember learning first
as a child, then I graduated to the more common method later on. Anyway,
to answer your question, our school requires the children know how by
first grade, because the teachers don't want to tie 30 children's
shoelaces several times a day.

I must say that the more you talk about your school, the more I dislike
it. I'm glad it's a good fit for you, but gosh, it seems like they are
just chock full of pressure about almost everything. Do they require kids
to wear tie shoes too?

No, they don't require them to wear tie shoes. The dress code is very
strict, though. It's really not a good school for everyone, as you can see.
The level they are teaching at is just right for DS, but too advanced for
some kids. I don't think that should be, but oh well. At least it suits
DS. They are very strict about a lot of things, but DS likes structure, so
it works for him.

One of my coworkers put her children in that school because they did not
like structure and she wanted the kids to be more structured. It was a
complete clash for them. When she finally transferred them out, she said
they were so happy because there were fewer rules.

bizby40 wrote:
"toypup" wrote in message
et...
DS is 5yo and he's got the first step down, crossing one lace under
the other. Now, I've just got to show him to make two bunny ears
and cross them again. The two bunny ears method was what I remember
learning first as a child, then I graduated to the more common
method later on. Anyway, to answer your question, our school
requires the children know how by first grade, because the teachers
don't want to tie 30 children's shoelaces several times a day.

I must say that the more you talk about your school, the more I
dislike it. I'm glad it's a good fit for you, but gosh, it seems like
they are just chock full of pressure about almost everything. Do they
require kids to wear tie shoes too? One of the most popular styles of
sneakers at the moment are no-tie. They are permanently laced with
somewhat elastic laces, and you just slip them on.

Some schools don't permit the elastic type of sneakers for gym
(although I suppose they would permit them other days); I can't recall
the reason -- perhaps they're not sufficiently supportive for
athletics?

I think that kids are learning to tie shoes later and later because of
velcro. One learned in kindergarten (and promptly demanded only velcro
sneakers for the next several years); I think some kids at his school
didn't learn until much later than that! I don't think I'd be offended
by or fine a rule that kids either have to tie their own shoes by 1st
grade too onerous, although a *must tie* rule would be. What would
they do with kids with fine motor skills delays, with or without an
IEP?

Barbara

"Barbara" wrote in message
oups.com...
Some schools don't permit the elastic type of sneakers for gym
(although I suppose they would permit them other days); I can't
recall
the reason -- perhaps they're not sufficiently supportive for
athletics?

This would seem to be a strange rule for grade school where athletics
don't tend to be too intense. And poorly tied shoes, or those that
have come untied and are dragging laces around would seem to be more
of a danger. I'm not doubting that schools exist with that rule, but
it seems a misguided rule for grade school to me.

Requiring proper shoes for specific sports like baseball or soccer
makes a bit more sense. But I tie my kids' shoes for those events
even though they're capable of tying their own shoes, because I know I
can tie them tighter and more securely.

I don't think I'd be offended
by or fine a rule that kids either have to tie their own shoes by
1st
grade too onerous, although a *must tie* rule would be.

I'm sorry, but I can't parse this sentence. What's the difference
between "have to tie their own shoes" and "must tie"? And what does
"either" refer to?

What would
they do with kids with fine motor skills delays, with or without an
IEP?

I suppose that with an IEP, the school would have to work with them.
Without one....numerous fruitless parent consultations?

Bizby

"bizby40" wrote in message
...

"Barbara" wrote in message Requiring proper shoes
for specific sports like baseball or soccer makes a bit more sense. But I
tie my kids' shoes for those events even though they're capable of tying
their own shoes, because I know I can tie them tighter and more securely.

I don't think I'd be offended
by or fine a rule that kids either have to tie their own shoes by 1st
grade too onerous, although a *must tie* rule would be.

I'm sorry, but I can't parse this sentence. What's the difference between
"have to tie their own shoes" and "must tie"? And what does "either"
refer to?

I read it as she's okay with a rule about kids having to tie their own shoes
if they are wearing tie shoes, but she doesn't like a rule where they must
wear tie shoes and therefore must tie them.

bizby40 wrote:
"Barbara" wrote in message
oups.com...
Some schools don't permit the elastic type of sneakers for gym
(although I suppose they would permit them other days); I can't
recall
the reason -- perhaps they're not sufficiently supportive for
athletics?

This would seem to be a strange rule for grade school where athletics
don't tend to be too intense. And poorly tied shoes, or those that
have come untied and are dragging laces around would seem to be more
of a danger. I'm not doubting that schools exist with that rule, but
it seems a misguided rule for grade school to me.

Requiring proper shoes for specific sports like baseball or soccer
makes a bit more sense. But I tie my kids' shoes for those events
even though they're capable of tying their own shoes, because I know I
can tie them tighter and more securely.

Welll, the gym dept of our school must have seen those shoes fly off
too many kids to permit them. Don't the kids play baseball and soccer
in gym at your school? Our kids do, along with basketball (and, heaven
help me, the boys organized their own football league at recess).

I don't think I'd be offended
by or fine a rule that kids either have to tie their own shoes by
1st
grade too onerous, although a *must tie* rule would be.

I'm sorry, but I can't parse this sentence. What's the difference
between "have to tie their own shoes" and "must tie"? And what does
"either" refer to?

Well, if you MUST tie, then the rule applies even if the kid is wearing
velcro. Sort of like the tests that the local public schools make kids
pass in 3d grade and -- I forget what other grades. Pass or repeat.
I'd object to that. But I have no problem with a rule that if you wear
shoes with ties, then you have to know how to tie them.

Barbara