Why I Still Am Teaching Shoe Tying in 2nd Grade

One thing I have noticed over the years is that fewer and fewer students know how to tie their shoes. With so many kids wearing Crocs, slides, Velcro shoes, and other slip-on styles, they just are not getting as much practice with tying anymore.

Even though shoes have changed, I still think shoe tying is an important life skill. By 2nd grade, I like giving my students a chance to practice it and work toward being able to tie their own shoes.

Starting With a Book

I like to introduce shoe tying with Loops by Jashar Awan. It is such a cute book, and it gives us a good way to start talking about how learning something new can feel hard at first. After we read, we talk about why knowing how to tie shoes is useful and what makes it tricky.

How I Teach Shoe Tying

When we practice shoe tying, I use two different colored pipe cleaners. I put one color through each of the top holes of the shoe so students can clearly see the two sides while they practice.

Using two colors really helps. Instead of both laces looking the same, students can see exactly which side they are crossing, looping, or pulling. It is such a simple trick, but it makes the steps much easier for a lot of kids to follow.

I like to show students two different ways to tie their shoes because sometimes one method just makes more sense to them than the other. Some students do really well with the Bunny Ear method and others do better with the Loop and Swoop method.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Some students figure it out pretty quickly. Others need a lot more practice. I try not to make it feel like a race. I just want them to keep trying until they can do it on their own. There is always a lot of excitement when a student finally gets it.

Joining the Shoe Tying Team

Once a student can show me that they can tie their own shoes, they earn a spot on our Shoe Tying Team bulletin board. Once I add their name on the board I give them a certificate to celebrate.

I also give them a mini sneaker keychain. It is just a small reward, but the kids think it is pretty special.

Why I Still Make Time for It

Shoe tying may not be part of my reading or math curriculum, but I still think it is worth teaching. It is one of those everyday skills that helps kids become a little more independent.

And honestly, there is something pretty special about seeing how proud they are when they finally tie that shoe by themselves.

If you want to celebrate students as they learn to tie their shoes, I created a Shoe Tying Bulletin Board & Certificates | Shoe Tying Team Display that I use in my own classroom.

Students can earn a spot on the bulletin board once they show they can tie their own shoes, and the certificates make it easy to celebrate their accomplishment.

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