I got a notice from the girls' school (sent to all parents) regarding shoes for Kindergarten. They asked that kids wear and bring velcro shoes rather than ties. I understand the logic, since they don't want to tie shoes all day, but don't kids learn to do that in K?

My kids don't know how to tie them yet (although I planned to start teaching them this summer).

So 2 questions:

- Easiest rhyme/way to teach them? (I know, stupid, but I never did the "bunny ears" thing when I was little and don't know if there's some cutesy thing I can use w/ the kids)

- Isn't learning to tie your shoes still one of the "requirements" for passing K anymore? I'm a pretty young mom, but I still feel like I'm SO out of the loop on what school is like now! TIA!!

Loren
GGG Jan.2005 @ 28wks

Sweetened Taters - http://sweetenedtaters.blogspot.com

That's crazy they are requiring you to have velcro! Just double knot those suckers and you are good! lol

My gang did not learn how in kindy. I don't think the teacher even attempted. I am embarrassed to say that they learned at the end of 1st grade. It was just so much easier for me to tie their shoes then sit while they took FOREVER to do it themselves! lol Bad mom I know! Btw....the bunny ears worked for us.


Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks

As far as I know, tying shoes is not covered in kindergarten at all here. It is a skill parents are to teach at home. We still have kids leaving first grade without the ability to tie shoes because velcro is such a lovely thing and sketchers are more elastic and stretchy - they never have to tie, so how would they learn? (I am pretty sure one of my own kids barely has the skill mastered because she has never had tying shoes.)


I spent a year working in a kindergarten classroom and I LOVE VELCRO - kids who couldn't tie enlisted helpers who could to tie their shoes for them over and over and over. Kindergarten is much more an academic setting than a life skills setting now.

This is how I see it here, I am sure it is different in different schools.

Deb
Son, 12
GGB, 10

My sister used a book shaped like a shoe that had one red lace & one yellow lace. She said the two different colored laces really really helped.

BGG born 4/25/05 at 31w1d




New baby girl born 9/19/06

I used to be a Kinder teacher --- teaching kids to tie shoes wasn't part of the curriculum.

I admit I'm a bad Mom when it came to teaching my girls to tie shoes. I passed the buck and made it "Daddy's job."

Gloria

All my kids knew how to tie when they went to Kinder. I made my DH teach them as I had less patience with that chore. I don't think they teach it at school at all. Personally, I detest velcro shoes and so I refuse to purchase them. I don't like how they look. All the kids I know that had them learned to tie very late as they didn't need to learn. It seems to be counter productive to me.

Cindy
Paul and Andrew
Kristen, Rachel and Michael

I hadn't really thought about it until now, but hated velcro as a kid and the only shoes we've ever bought the girls with velcro were sandals. Maybe I was traumatized as a kid

Thanks everyone for the responses! I remember (back in MY day ) we did all that stuff in K, so it seemed odd that they wouldn't encourage the kids to wear tying shoes. NOW it all makes sense! They don't teach it anymore.

Sounds like a good job for Daddy...

Loren
GGG Jan.2005 @ 28wks

Sweetened Taters - http://sweetenedtaters.blogspot.com

We have been working on tying one child at a time. DD has it down pretty good; sadly she learned from a helper at school. I don't know the rhyme but it was the bunny ears thing.
I'm a bit shy about teaching them since my dad has told me I tie my shoes wrong....go figure.

With triplets, I try to keep shoe-tying managable by only having 1 or 2 in tying shoes at a time and the other(s) in velcro or slip ons. Eventually they will all learn and all seem to be showing an interest now, at the end of kindy.

I did find a Melissa and Doug wooden shoe at a consignment sale so hopefully we can practice on that. It's hard to see what's going on with their little shoes. Might have to think about making a 2-colored lace for it--seems like that would make it less confusing to learn.

Andi
g/b/g
6 yo triplets

We just had our orientation a few weeks ago and they gave us a sheet with 10 things they'd like the kids to learn over the summer before school starts. We are also supposed to turn it in at the beginning of the school year.. Sure enough they want them to tie their shoes before entering.

We probably won't make it. I don't own any tie shoes for them anymore. LOL This is just a little public school in Michigan. In Michigan we have a late cutoff..Dec 1st so there will be many 4 yr old starting. This is the norm here.

I'll have to look for the list and post it. I also think they have to spell their first name...using a capital letter for the first letter of their name and lower case for the rest of the letters. (thankfully they learned that in preschool)

"I'll have to look for the list and post it."

That would be awesome!

I feel completely unprepared as far as what to expect. We have VERY few friends with same-aged children, and those few kids are going to Alternate Kindergarten next year. So I've just been winging it!

Loren
GGG Jan.2005 @ 28wks

Sweetened Taters - http://sweetenedtaters.blogspot.com

I hate velcro shoes and never bought them for my kids. ALL through Pre-K my kids would come home and say "my teacher says you have to buy velcro shoes" and I would say "when your teacher is willing to put out the $150 for your shoes she can pick what we buy" Then K came and my kids were told "find a friend to tie your shoes" so over the summer I taught them to tie their shoes and then my husband bought them the "cool" velcro sketchers and now they can't tie shoes.

K doesn't teach them any life skills anymore. It's all counting with sticks and circles and adding starting at 5 instead of 1. And writing a word the way it sounds not the way it is actually spelled

Here's the list we are to turn in 1st day of school: (Basically a guide for us to work on things this summer)

*can say and recognize first and last name
*know address and phone number
*know parents first and last names (especially if parents last name is different from child's)
*can recognize own printed name
*know how to use zippers, shoe laces, buttons and can take outer garments on and off
*can speak in a voice loud enough so people can hear
*know how to use a handkerchief or tissue and can ask for one.
*know what to do (and what not to do) with crayons, paste and scissors.
*can take responsiblity for own actions, (spill something, clean it up)
*can sit and listen quietly while others are talking.
*share things, take turns and play by the rules

Shelley

THANKS!!! I think - outside of shoelaces and address/phone number - we're set, thankfully. Now I have to schedule three physicals. Yippee!

Loren
GGG Jan.2005 @ 28wks

Sweetened Taters - http://sweetenedtaters.blogspot.com

I think my kids were all end of K or 1st grade before they learned. And I know one of my sons learned a lot later than his sibs, maybe even 2nd grade.

We used the bunny ears and chase it around and pull it out of the hole by it's ears, or something like that. I have forgotten.

I truly think they learned more from their dad than me and my rhymes. He ties differently than me and it would frustrate me (and them) - so it became his job.
To this day, I still think he ties his shoes *wrong


http://teensandtriplets.com
Wiltrip Mom with 5
2 teens & BBG - school age and easier than the teens!

My 5 kids use a mix of bunny ears and rocket ship. I think my sister is a bunny ear and I'm a rocket ship. The book recommendation is a good one- the one with the 2 laces. There is also a Melissa and Doug shoe (wooden) that you could get too.

I would tell them to take a hike about the velcro. My kids have such skinny feet, that velcro shoes aren't snug enough. They would be constantly losing their shoes, or tripping out of them. Much more hazardous on the playground.

FWIW, Coach Mark spent a lot time tying shoes at soccer games and practice for 9 little 1st and 2nd graders. They may be able to tie them, but a lot of Kindies really don't get it until much later.

Something I just recently learned about laces, too- the corded ones, like those that come on athletic style shoes are harder to tie and come undone more easily than the cottony flat laces like those that come on the Chuck Taylor style of shoe. And I can get a lot better fit on the canvas sneak, as well. Payless had several styles and BOGO right now.

ETA: I doubt very seriously that they'll boot them out of school over shoe laces. But I do see where teachers don't want to spend their entire day tying. I'd say, work on it over the summer and if it happens, then great. If not, it'll come. We double knot ours, which buy them some time until lunch.

MonsterMom6
10 year old ^b^ b twins @ 30w5d (1 survivor) and
8 year old gggg quads @ 32w0d

Funny you say that because we have Chuck Taylors and they have lasted FOREVER! I told Mike we should invest in them, LOL.

Thanks for the tips

Loren
GGG Jan.2005 @ 28wks

Sweetened Taters - http://sweetenedtaters.blogspot.com