Chasing Cheerios

Monday, May 10, 2010

Learning to Lace


O has been interested in lacing and tying her shoes lately. I don't think she's ready to learn to tie her shoes (she disagrees), but she's done well learning to lace.

After she had difficulty with a lacing board, I put these shoes in a basket on her shelf. I left one shoe laced so she would have it as a guide. O was excited to see this work on her Montessori shelf. However, we've recently been reading Fancy Nancy, and she thought she should lace the shoe right up her leg "just like Fancy Nancy." Silly girl!

6 comments:

  1. We are big Fancy Nancy fans, Olive's last party was that theme. Happy Lacing, Karen

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  2. I'm not sure how old O is, but if she is interested, by all means let her try. It is important that she place the shoes facing away from her, the way they are on her feet for the best practicing. If you are helping her with her own shoes, have her sit on the floor and you squat behind her and reach around so that she is watching you do it the way that she would do it - if you are tying from in front of her your hand motions are backwards to her. I know this from 21 years in kindergarten and many students who needed to learn to lace and tie. For just lacing but not tying position isn't as important. If she is motivated to tie, it won't hurt to show her, especially the "two bunny ears" method which makes two loops and repeats the first knot with those loops.

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  3. Karen- I don't know how we've gone this long without reading Fancy Nancy. O really loves her!

    Mrs. Melva- I definitely haven't stopped her from trying :) I showed her how to tie with the bunny ears method, so that is what she has been practicing. Her fingers aren't quite ready, but she enjoys trying. Thanks for your comment!

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  4. GREAT idea (LOL, as always.)
    I will check out some Fancy Nancy books! Thanks for the great tips.

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  5. cute idea, I will be linking!

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  6. Way to go O! It won't be long now! I was tying shoes at three years old and Arin has done it a few times, but she doesn't own any shoes with shoe laces, so not much practice.

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