One of the most frustrating, yet rewarding, things a parent can do is to teach their child to tie their shoes.  Many parents leave this task up to the Kindergarten teacher.  They may be missing out on a great shared experience with their kids.

Before trying to teach your children to tie their shoes, it helps to have shoes that tie.  While your child is learning to walk, avoid Velcro strapped shoes.  For children, watching you tie their shoes is part of the learning experience.  As you tie them, sing a song for them to learn. Choose an easy melody, like “Pop Goes the Weasel”:

Folding over (child's name)'s shoe strings
Now make a big bow.
Circle the bow with the other string,
And POP it through the thumb hole!

After months and years of repetition, your child will have this song ingrained in their learning.  When it comes time to teach your child to tie their shoes, you may find that they already know how!

As a lesson, ask your child to not just tie their shoes, but to tie your shoes for you as well.  If your shoes are not tied tight enough, retie them where your child can’t see.  They may become discouraged and think they did a bad thing when they see you undo all of their hard work.

Don’t get discouraged if your child takes a long time to learn to tie their shoes.  At young ages, they are still adjusting to hand eye coordination.  Growth spurts make it even more difficult for them.

A child that learns to tie their own shoes also learns that learning is fun, and that they can be self sufficient.  It will bring them the same pride as learning to use the potty by themselves.  And by teaching them yourself, rather than leaving it to a stranger, you will have an unforgettable bonding moment with your child that will last for the rest of your lives.

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