Shoe Tying Compiled by Linda Cammaroto

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Erik Strickland
5 years ago
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1 Shoe Tying Compiled by Linda Cammaroto This list is compiled from information shared by OT s on the AOTA school list serve. I have separated the information into sections. Shoe tying Methods Songs and Jingles to tie by Practice Ideas METHODS 1. I will call this the KNOT method, developed by a mother of a child with autism.. You start with the conventional "first knot" -- cross the laces, tuck the top lace under and pull. Most kids can do this without much difficulty. Then, I have them just do the first knot again --again cross the laces, tuck the top lace under and pull again, but this time don't pull too tight. Leave about enough room to stick a finger through. Then into this finger space, take the tip of the shoelace (the very end or aglet I think it is called) and put it in the hole. It doesn't even have to really go in the right spot. Push the tip through to form a "bunny ear". Next, take the other tip and put it through the hole to form the second "bunny ear". The bunny ears do not need to be held or stabilized while the child is doing this. Then pinch each bunny ear closed and pull. Voila, the shoe is tied. The script I usually use goes somewhat like this: Make an X. Which one is on top? Put it under. Pull. Make another X. Which one is on top? Put it under and pull. Not too tight! One tip. Two tip. Pinch. Pinch. Pull 2. In regard to shoelace tying, I've found that the ONE-LOOP METHOD is easier for children with fine motor difficulties, and the two-loop method is a little easier conceptually (if the child can handle the fiddlyness of it!). There's another method that I was told, the "gun" method, but it's a little hard to explain here, it involves holding the loop with the thumb pressed against the side of the index finger, and the middle finger is extended next to the index (like a "gun"), but the other two fingers are tucked in. The lace is wound around the loop, then slipped in between the index and middle fingers. Simply pulling the lace out, moving the hand as a unit, will tie the bow. It's an easy method to teach, BUT it involves using the weak adductor muscles of the index and middle fingers, and I've found that kids often let go of the lace before it's pulled through. But if you persevere it's probably an easier method to understand for them. The one-loop method I use is: (After the knot is tied) 1. "Here's the tree" (make a loop on right side) 2. "Here's the bird" (pick up the other lace) 3. "The bird flies around the tree..." (Wrap it behind and around the lace)

2 3. Verbal Cues for CONVENTIONAL Shoelace Tying Deanna Iris Sava, MS, OTR/L When first teaching a child shoelace tying, it may be easier for the child to initially practice with the shoes at tabletop level rather than with the shoes on his/her feet. Also, it would also be helpful if two different colored shoelaces were used initially to practice. Here is one method of verbal cueing that I have found helpful. After the child begins to catch on and requires less verbal cueing, I use the cues that are in bold. After they are confident with the process, I introduce the double knot. 1. Criss-cross the laces. 2. Go under the bridge. 3. And pull 4. Make the bunny ear (or loop). 5. Wrap the other lace around the bunny ear (or loop). Later I say, wrap it around. 6. Now push the lace through (the new loop) -- here comes the other bunny ear (or loop)! 7. Grab the bunny ears and pull. 4. BUNNY EARS, OR TWO-LOOP TIE METHOD 1. Student picks up shoelaces 2. Student crosses laces, laying them across front of shoe (verbal prompt is MAKE AN X ). 3. Student puts upper lace under the crossed laces through the cross created with the shoe in a toe-to-tongue direction. 4. Student grasps a lace in each hand and pulls tight. 5. Students makes one loop. 6. Student makes second loop with the other shoelace. 7. Student crosses loops across the front of the shoe, maintaining grasp on the loops ( MAKE AN X AGAIN-I LIKE THIS METHOD BECAUSE WE USE AN X A LOT IN THERAPY AND THE CHILDRE COME TO RECOGNIZE THE X AND RESPOND WELL TO THE CUE) 8. Student puts upper loop under crossed laces through the triangle created with the shoe, in a toe-to-tongue direction (same as no. 3) 9. Student grasps a loop in each hand and pulls tight.

3 SONGS AND JINGLES TO TIE BY 1. Tying Shoes (Sung to Splish Splash I was taking a Bath) Criss Cross and go under the bridge Then you got to pull it tight. Make a loop but keep a long tail That is how to do it right Then you take the other string and you wrap it 'round the loop Pull it through the hole Now you got the scoop! You take one lace and make a loop take the other lace and make another bunny ear. fold one under the other, pull and viola! Tied shoes. 2.First color the shoelaces with permanent marker so you can cue the child on which side they should be working with at a given step. Here's how the poem goes each line corresponds to one step of the tying process. Build a tee pee Come inside Close it tight so we can hide Over the mountain And around we go Here's my arrow And here's my bow! Note: If you sit behind the child while tying their shoes they can see from their view how it is done. My Shoelace Blues I've tried and tried to tie you, shoe. I've never done it yet. A loop that flip-flops on the floor Is as close as I can get. I've practiced on spaghetti. I've practiced on the mop. I've practiced on my sister Until she made me stop. So here's the loop again, shoe. I'll hold it with my thumb. I'll wrap the other end around... And yank it into bows. It's done!

4 Sad Rabbit Original Author Unknown Once there was a rabbit that was very sad because his ears were so long and narrow that he stepped on them all the time. One day a fairy landed on the bunny's head. She lifted up the bunny's ears and crossed them over like an x. Then she put one ear through the bottom of the x and pulled. Next, she made each long ear into a loop and made another x like before. She put an ear under that x and pulled again. From then on the bunny remembered how to tie his ears into a bow, and he lived happily every after. SHOE TYING PRACTICE IDEAS 1. Shoe box Shoe 1. Materials: Small shoebox, Stickers, Contact paper, 2 colors of shoelace. 2. Keeping lid separate from box, decorate both with contact paper & stickers. Or draw/color a shoe on it 3. Punch holes in either the box or lid like a shoe. 4. Tie knots in laces on one end and glue them to the cardboard on the inside. 5. Tape or glue box & lid together. Lace box (shoe) with two colors of laces. Now children should be able to see where each goes. Start with your X, form 1 bunny ear, chase him round the garden, into the burrow and out the other side, pull tight. 2. Tying Templates 1. Collect misc. plastic lids from butter containers, coffee cans, peanut cans, etc. 2. Use a hole punch, or hammer and nail to make an even number of holes in the lids. You can line them up or make a dot-to-dot pattern. 3. Thread a shoelace through one hole. "Stitch" it around, with it ending back up through the last hole next to where you started. 4. Use for lacing activities and tying practice. 3. Magic Shoes or Ruby Slippers 1. Paint an old pair of sneakers with gold or red sparkly spray paint 2. Put bright colored laces in. Let the children practice! Sometimes it is hard for the children to work on their own shoe. Get a small shoe--you can buy some at yard sales--and nail it down to a board. The child can sit the shoe in front of himself/herself and practice on it.

5 4. I begin teaching tying by using a raincoat belt (not as flimsy as a shoelace and plenty long) and having the child try to tie it around their thigh. I use the thigh so it s from the same visual angle and is sturdy. After they get the first part down (initail cross) I have the child make the two loops which I rubber band (each loop separate). Then they can practice the second motor part of the task without having to concentrate on pinching the lace to keep the loop. Once they have that down, we practice without the rubber bands from the start of the task and progress to shoelaces. I've had quick success with this method for several kids. 5. I have problems with the loops collapsing and some students have trouble following the process. Suggestion: dip the laces in liquid starch and let dry...then try it. Also, in one of the postings last year, it was suggested to use long laces (1/2 in one color, the other 1/2 in a contrasting color) and practice tying around the thigh. This keeps it at a comfortable level, easy to see, and doesn't easily come undone after the first step is completed. I've found this works really well in teaching the concept. 6. These are the verbal cues I use after the initial cross the laces, put the top lace through the hole part. Make a leaf. (the first loop) Make the caterpillar crawl over the leaf and into his cocoon (wrap lace around thumb and into the hole.) Make it a butterfly. (Grab the loops and pull) 7. I've had real success using this method with backward chaining. I also use 2 different colored laces. I have a shoe that the kids color, cut out and mount on oak tag. They punch holes for the laces and lace their practice shoe. I tape it in front of them with the part where they make the bow right in front of them. We practice as many times as they are old each time I see them. I've never had anyone not be able to transfer the skill to their real shoes. When they can tie their real shoes I put a star on the back of their practice shoe with "I can tie my shoes" and their name and the date and it becomes their "shoe tying diploma" 8. Have you tried using two color laces? I usually sew 1/2 a white and 1/2 a black together and lace them through the shoe. The difference in color really helps to differentiate when they are all jumbled together. I let the child wear them until they master tying. The sewing only takes a minute. 9. Use two color laces and lace them through the lid of a sealed box that can be held in the lap. 10. I would suggest trying different colored wikki stix. The wikki stix hold their shape more making it easier to teach and they provide some tactile stimulation. 11. Try using the curly elastic shoelaces. Then he only has to make the initial knot and they stay in place and look almost like regular laces

6 12. I also use different color laces and contrasting practice board (or old shoe) to work on without having to make the postural adjustments of getting to your foot at first. I like to use the wrap around method Lynda and Deanna described so creatively BUT with one important difference. I teach the kids to wrap around the first loop clockwise (rather than counter clockwise as most of us have been taught). This allows the hole that you must poke the lace through (to make loop 2) visible! It has been much easier for the kids and much more successful for us! I borrowed this technique from an article by a COTA in OT Week several years ago. She used it as a one handed tying method for her clients with hemiplegia. My years with Claudia Allen made me see this as making the action more clear visually (striking visual cues) since you can see where you're supposed to poke through as you're doing it--not after it's done as you do poking from back to front. Waa laa! Easier. 13. Over the years I have tried a number of ideas for teaching children to tie shoes, but recently came up with a trick that has worked amazingly well (this was a take off from an idea on the list serv about using sticky wicky s). I have used a sewing machine to sew in a length of pipe cleaner into one lace a length long enough to form the bunny ear. This technique adds enough stiffness to the loop so that it doesn t fall over and sticks up so the student can easily manipulate the other lace to go around and back in the hole. This Velcro can be sewn in practice boards, and also into the student s own lace if needed. I tack the ends real well so that the wire doesn t work through. 14. I usually work on tying other than shoes with just a half hitch before even attempting the shoe tie. We tie presents, make rope slides, etc. RESOURCES 15. I recently came across a good website for shoe tying. In fact, I believe it was mentioned on this list. Here's the sight: Pre-Dressing Skills by Marsha Dunn Klein, M.Ed., OTR (has a lot of very helpful suggestions and illustrations in it). It s available from Communication Skill Builders. 17. Teaching Dressing Skills. Buttons, Bows and More by Marcy Coppelman Goldsmith, OTR, BCP (teaches backward chaining method for shoe tying and other self-care skills). It s available from Therapro.

FISH NET REPAIR. By Alfred Carlson

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