TYING SHOES

It’s pretty amazing that children can manipulate an Ipad better than many adults, but 

they don’t know how to tie their shoes.  When my kids were little I got a big stuffed animal and used an apron to teach them how to tie.  The apron strings were much bigger and easier to manipulate than shoestrings. 

Here are two poems that might help children with this task.

1-2-3-4 – TYING SHOES

Let’s get ready to tie your shoes. 

Over and under.  Now, what to do?   (Pull strings tight.)

1. Make a loop that looks like a tree.  (Make a loop with right string.)

2. The other string is a rabbit you see.  (Hold up left string.)

3. The rabbit goes around and in a hole.  (Take left string around loop and stick in the hole.)

4.  Pull the loops tight and there is your bow!  (Take both loops and pull.)

TYING SHOES VERSION 2

Take the 2 strings                     (Make loops with each string.)

And make two bunny ears.

Over and under

And a knot will appear.                (Tie loops in a knot.)

Pull the ears tight

And what do you know?               (Pull loops.)

You’ve tied your shoes

And there is your bow!    

Hint!  One teacher suggested getting a bag and sending home the shoe with a different child each night.  It would be a nice reminder that children still do need to know how to tie their shoes in 2012!