Strategies to help your child

Get ready to practise

Before starting, make sure your child understands the task and is motivated to practise regularly. Agree on a consistent approach with all adults supporting them, and ensure they’re sitting comfortably.

See Good seating advice sheet.

Positioning matters

Sit beside your child so you’re both facing the task from the same angle. This makes it easier for them to copy your movements and understand each step.

Start with visuals and off-shoe practice

Begin by using step-by-step visuals, such as printed pictures or your own photos. Practise tying shoelaces around the thigh rather than on a shoe — this helps your child focus on the movements without the added challenge of shoe positioning.

Use adapted laces to support learning

Stiffer laces are easier to handle. You can dip them in PVA glue to make them firmer. Using two different colours helps your child tell the strands apart and follow the steps more easily.

Build up the skill gradually

Once your child is confident with the basic steps, move on to practising with a shoe placed on their lap or a table. Make sure they’re sitting in a stable position with good visibility of the shoe.

Make practice part of the routine

Explain that tying shoelaces takes regular practice. Try using a reward chart to track how often they practise each day. Choose calm times for practice, not when rushing out the door.

You can also make it fun. Store favourite toys or games in containers that need to be opened using laces, or encourage your child to practise tying other items like dressing gown ties or pyjamas.

Use stories to support memory

A simple story can help your child remember the steps.

  1. Cross the left (blue) end over the right (yellow) end. The left (blue) end is now on the right side.

    ‘Build a Tee-Pee…..’

  2. Wrap the blue lace around the back of the yellow lace and through the gap between the laces.

    ‘Come inside….’

  3. Pull both ends tight to complete the knot

    ‘Pull it tight so we can hide.’

  4. Make the blue lace into a loop by doubling it back onto itself

    ‘Over the mountain….’

  5. Take the yellow lace and pass it behind the blue loop. Continue around the right loop to end up in front.

    ‘and around we go…..’

  6. Start to feed the left (yellow) lace into the ‘hole’ that has just been made.

    ‘Here’s my arrow……..’

  7. With the yellow lace now through the ‘hole’, grab hold of both loops and start to pull the knot tight. Continue pulling on the loops until the knot is firmly tied.

    ‘And here’s my bow…..!’

Backward chaining

Backward chaining is particularly helpful for children with a low frustration tolerance or poor self-esteem because it gives immediate success.

See Backward chaining advice sheet.

Alternatives to shoe laces

Tying shoe laces is a very difficult skill to master, especially if your child has difficulties with fine motor manipulation, bilateral coordination and/or planning.

There are new ideas for alternatives to shoelaces developing all the time.

Here are some ideas to start with:

  • Greeper laces
  • Hickies
  • Coiler laces
  • Easy lace