What’s up PE Fam!
If you had $1 for every time a kid asked you to tie their shoes…
would you be a millionaire too?
Every Elementary PE Teacher knows this struggle.
My standard response has always been to help my Kindergarten students out (they just have to wait until I turn the music on to ask me for help), I even try and help the 1st Graders out if they can’t find a friend to help… but once they hit 2nd Grade I always tell my students that I can no longer tie their shoes and they will have to find a friend to help them out.
I always ask students to raise their hand if they know how to tie shoes and then have some designated “Shoe Helpers” in the class that kids know they can go to for help.
This year with virtual PE Assignments, it seemed like a great time to send my younger students some tips on learning to tie while they are at home, so I consulted my awesome PE friends on Twitter and they gave me a TON of helpful advice (you can check it out below).
What’s up #physed Fam! Does anyone have an awesome step by step “How to Tie Your Shoe” video they want to share? I figured I ask before I make one – planning on setting up a station for my Kindy / 1st Graders who ask me to tie their shoes with it playing on a loop ?
— Ben Landers (@thepespecialist) October 5, 2020
So after sorting through a ton of awesome videos, I picked 5 basic methods of shoe tying which I thought would be good to go over with students and created the google slideshow below to send out to my students.
CLICK THIS LINK TO COPY THE GOOGLE SLIDESHOW
Feel free to copy/share/use it for yourself or your students
If you want to check out the 5 shoe tying methods that I chose you can see the videos below:
5 Ways to Tie Your Shoes
#1 – The Standard Method
This is the method that most people are familiar with
#2 – The Bunny Ears
Here’s a SUPER easy method that I would recommend teaching to any students learning to tie their shoes for the very first time.
I can say from personal experience (My First Grade daughter learned easily using this method) that this is a great way to teach kids who might be frustrated trying to learn the traditional method.
I actually set up this video on my iPad now and have kids in 1st and up watch the video if they need help tying their shoes.
After all… you can catch a fish and feed someone for a day… but if you teach someone to fish… you feed them for a lifetime, right?!
#3 – The Knot and a Half
This was a really cool method that I had never seen before, I love how it stays tight and still allows you to pull the string when you want to untie the shoes
#4 – The Backwards Knot
Here’s another method that seems pretty simple for kids to wrap their minds around and will get you to the same result as the traditional method
#5 – The 1 Second Knot
This one kind of blew my mind. It’s a little tricky, but WOW if you can figure it out you get major cool points and save time tying your shoes for the rest of your life!
Bonus Option:
Just get some Lock Laces and never tie your shoes again (that’s what I did ?)
View this post on Instagram
That’s It!
Hope that was helpful and I truly appreciate all the links and tips from everyone who responded to me on Twitter!
Have an awesome day!
Coach Williams says
I think that the resources that you use and share are awesome! Thank you so much for being a huge part of my elementary PE resources. I love that you share and just want to help out. I appreciate you!
Marcus Nellems says
Coach Williams!
Thanks for those kind words! We are so glad you are enjoying the resources!
kristen whitcomb says
Such an awesome idea! Thanks Ben-“tie on” 😉
Marcus Nellems says
Thanks Kristen! We appreciate it!
Amber says
I love this. Thanks for sharing! This is my favorite way to teach when the kids have “eye” holes on the shoes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGFZWB8Q5HE&list=PLG3ZWD328IQKA-6vROE265ukn86wldD-R
Marcus Nellems says
Thanks for sharing Amber! Kids do know best!
B Magill says
Love the shoe tying slides. I will try this before I completely give up on teaching kids to do this. Thanks!
Marcus Nellems says
Thanks Brooke! Hopefully students can tie them on their own!