Dressing myself - shoelace tying

Tying your own shoelaces requires a level of dexterity children are not usually ready for until around the age of 7-8 years old.

There are several different methods for tying shoelaces, for example:

• Conventional
• Bunny ears

Hints and tips

• Break the process into small manageable sections – do not attempt to learn the whole
  process in one go
• Practise looping the cords on the waistbands of shorts, joggers or dressing gowns, just to get
  your child used to making that first part of a knot
• When trying to tie a shoelace for the first time, have your child sit on the floor with the shoe
  between their legs. This is easier than trying to reach down. Once your child is able to tie the
  shoe in this position, get your child to place the shoe on their knee whilst they are sitting on
  a chair or step. Finally, put the shoe on your child’s foot and have then put their foot up on a
  raised step or chair so that they can still see what they are doing.
• Use two different coloured laces in the same shoe to allow the child to easily differentiate
  between the various steps involved
• Flat laces are easier to tie than round ones, as they are less likely to loosen between each
  stage

Alternative strategies

If all else fails or your child is unable to master this skill, then alternatives to shoelaces are available.
Obviously Velcro is the easiest way of fastening shoes; however, if your child has shoes with lace
holes then see the list below:

• If all else fails or your child is unable to master this skill, then alternatives to shoelaces are available.
• Obviously Velcro is the easiest way of fastening shoes; however, if your child has shoes with lace holes then you could try one of these:
  • Hickies Laces are easy to fasten laces that expand and contract with foot movement to deliver secure fitting. See how it works at https://uk.hickies.eu/pages/how-it-works
  • Zubits Laces are magnetic shoe closures which stay secure throughout athletic activities. See how it works at https://zubits.com/
  • Xtenex Laces are elastic shoelaces which offer a faster and easier way to wear shoes. Uses a self-blocking knot technique to maintain lace tension. It aids in reducing painful footwear binding and foot fatigue caused by lace migration and natural foot swelling. See how it works at http://xtenex.com/
  • Greeper Laces are fitted to the footwear and they are loosened simply by pulling on the pull tab of the toggle. The user then simply makes the lace loops bigger to tighten the laces and enjoy a secure, snug fit. Small stoppers on the lace loops prevent the Greepers from coming undone. See how it works at http://www.greeper.com/