With a class of 30 tying shoes can take up a big part of my day. I don’t teach my students how to tie their shoes, because I don’t want to interfere with the methods their parents are teaching them at home, but I do recognize my students when they have mastered the skill. This is how I celebrate my students learning to tie shoes.
I printed up these quick templates and provided three different color options. There’s also a black and white version just in case you wanted your students to be able to color their own shoes.
I wrote their names on the bottom of the shoes, but you could also put a small picture if you wanted to, like the little sticker ones that come with their school photos.
After I cut out the shoes, I hole punched the little circles where the laces go. For the “laces” I used inexpensive twine that I found at the Dollar Tree. You can either have the students lace it and tie it themselves, or do it for them.
Student Accomplishment
On one of my doors, I have an “I can tie my shoes!” board. Whenever a student learns to tie their shoes they get added to the board.
If you don’t want to publicly display this information, you can just send the shoe home with them as a certificate of their accomplishment
This door is always a big motivator for the students, and also for the parents who often come in and take a picture of their student’s shoe once they have reached shoe-tyer status : )
These students are also my helpers and are always more than happy to help tie other students’ shoes to practice their skills. Since introducing this board a couple of years ago I have spent a lot more time instructing, and a lot less time tying! : )
If you would like a copy of this resource for when your students are learning to tie shoes, just click on the link below, If you’d like more fine motor resources check out my website!
