Tie My Shoe! Err, No. YOU Tie Your Shoe!

Janet Ivey-Duensing

(2-minute read)

The smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the crisp flap of a new backpack...yep, school is about to blast off. But before your young astronaut heads to the launchpad of learning, there’s one mission-critical maneuver they need in their toolkit: tying their own shoes.

This summer, a 9-year-old asked me to tie his shoe. I rather daftly said, "Why?" He looked at me and said, "Because it's untied." Then it dawned on me...here was a kid about to go into the 4th grade without a fundamental skill in his toolkit. Most children learn to tie their shoes between the ages of 5 and 6, but the age can vary. Some may master it earlier, while others might take until 7 or even 8.

Sure, it’s “just” a bow, but this tiny tangle of laces is a mega-boost for a child’s confidence and independence. Shoe tying is the moon landing of early milestones...part fine motor skill workout, part hand-eye coordination drill, and part “I’ve got this” swagger generator.

Here’s the magic: When a kid can bend down, loop those laces, and stand tall in their self-tied sneakers, they’re not just ready for recess; they are stepping into a world where they trust their own hands to solve problems.

And here’s the science: According to pediatric occupational therapists, learning to tie a shoe strengthens the pincer grasp and bilateral coordination, skills that engage both hemispheres of the brain at the same time. This cross-body movement ignites neural pathways that support later academic abilities like reading (tracking words across a page) and math (sequencing and pattern recognition). In short? Every knot is a little brain workout.

3 Ways to Make It Stick (and Fun)

1. Bunny Ears Method – Two loops, cross, tuck, pull. Done. Cute, visual, and easy to remember.

2. Loop, Swoop, and Pull – For the slightly older crowd who like a bit more challenge.

3. Sing It Out – Turn the steps into a rhyme or song. “Bunny ears, bunny ears, playing by a tree…” Instant earworm = instant skill memory.

   
   

Pro Tips from Mission Control

• Practice daily—2 minutes a day is plenty. (Preferably with a supportive and PATIENT grown-up. The patient part is what leads to success!)

• Use fun laces—bright colors, fat textures, sparkly threads.

• Celebrate wins—every neat bow is a standing ovation moment.

As you prep for the school year, let your mind revolve around this thought...helping your child master shoe tying is more than a practical skill...it’s a little launchpad for confidence, responsibility, and that priceless 'I can do it myself' grin; and that's the view from Janet's Planet.

Now grab those laces. It’s time for liftoff, young humanauts!

*According to Bob Leckridge, a "Humanaut" is someone who explores what it is to be human. Just as an astronaut explores the universe beyond Earth’s atmosphere, or a cosmonaut explores the cosmos, so a humanaut explores the world of being fully human.*