When did your kids learn to tie shoes?

[lisalulu]

DS is up for new shoes soon and I'm wondering when kids generally learn to tie their shoes? Around 5 seems stick in my head or is it usually later??

[bu's mama]

I remember I learned before kindergarten (4 or 5 yo), but my brother (2 years older) still didn't know how to tie his, so he was probably about 6 or 7.

Dd just turned 7 & still cannot tie consistently. She also likes double knots so I usually wind up doing it for her. I think for dd it's more about the kind of shoes she wears. Her last sneakers were velcro (actually requested by the school if they don't know how to tie) & she wears crocs or flipflops a lot so she didn't need to know how to tie.

[nextcommercial]

Four and a half.

That seems to be a big thing for learning new skills around here. She learned to ride a two wheeler, do a cartwheel, tie her shoes, pump high on the swing.

[eclipse]

My 8 and a half year old still can't, and neither can my 6 year old. Neither of them have shoes that tie, though.

[greeny]

My dd did when she was 5, just before starting kindergarten. She really wanted a pair of sneakers that had laces on them, so she sat on the floor in the store and practiced until she got it!

My ds, on the other hand, will be 5 in the fall and is nowhere close. He has no desire, no interest, and his fine motor skills aren't as good.

I think it really depends on the kid.

[darcytrue]

My DD is 7 and does not know how to tie her shoes yet.

[lisalulu]

Well I asked him today and he said he wants velcro shoes. I don't know why I care so much. Eventually he'll learn when he wants to, right?

[MusicianDad]

It really depends on the kid. Babymomma learned to tie her shoes when she was 10. This is despite parents who refused to let her have velcro shoes because she "needs to learn to tie her shoes."

[LynnS6]

Ds is 8, and has somewhat of a fine motor delay. He's still in velcro shoes. I think he might be ready this summer. I'm going to have a go at teaching him. But, if I can find velcro shoes for my large footed 8 year old (he wears a boys' size 5), you certainly can find them for your young son and not worry about it!

[velochic]

Dd was 3.5. I remember well the day she learned. We couldn't find velcro shoes that didn't have commercial characters on them, so she has always had tie shoes. Long story, short, she was about to start in a private school (language immersion school) and we were told "velcro shoes or the child has to be able to tie their own shoes". So... one day I just sat down on the kitchen floor with her and after 2,385,589 times showing her, she got it. Seriously, it did take about 2 hours and yes it was frustrating, but she got it that day and we didn't give up until she had it.

[pinksprklybarefoot]

DSD was 6.5. It took a few weeks of tears, but eventually she figured it out.

It almost seems difficult to find shoes that tie when they are younger. You have to search them out.

[teachma]

Originally Posted by eclipse

My 8 and a half year old still can't, and neither can my 6 year old. Neither of them have shoes that tie, though.

My son was about 8 and a half when he learned, just this past spring. He is a huge perfectionist and is very resistant to trying anything more than once; if he can't get it the first time, he's done. So, it really has to be on his terms that we try to learn something new. In my experience, therefore, the child's personality is as much a part of this as is the manual dexterity.

[pomplemoose]

both DD and DS learned at 5. although ds doesnt like to do it whatever i dont force it they're just shoes.

[inkslinger]

My 5 year old can't yet.

[crl]

DS cannot at age 6. I asked his OT (he has fine motor delays) about adding it to his goals and she said not yet, that she doesn't work on it until kids hit first grade (DS will be in K this year because we did an extra year of Pre-K), so I guess that means around 6 or 7?

Catherine

[hottmama]

My oldest learned at 5, and my 3.5 yr. old can't yet.

[confustication]

DD is 7, and though she *can* tie, she doesn't like to often. Honestly though, with the amazing variety of sneakers out now, we don't worry about it, she prefers the elastic/velcro closure as it feels more comfortable than laces.

[SuburbanHippie]

My DS didn't learn until he was 8 and even then he would try to get us to buy him slip on shoes. My DD learned when she was 5. She was jealous when her best friend at school was able to tie hers and that sparked the interest.

[columbusmomma]

DS was around 6.