Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

At what age did your child learn to tie laces???

25 replies

SleepySuzy · 02/10/2005 16:58

My dp's dd can't do hers at 7 years, and he thinks it is terrible! I think he is a bit hard on her. Who is right?

OP posts:
happymerryberries · 02/10/2005 16:59

I have just tied dds and she is 8

Blossomhill · 02/10/2005 17:00

My 7 and a half yr old ds has just learnt to do his.

stitch · 02/10/2005 17:00

well, it depends. i have not bought my dc shoes with laces since ds1 was 18 months old. so the fact that he cant tie laces at 8.5 is hardly surprising.
im going to let cubs teach him how to do all sorts of fancy knots
what does annoy me though is that i have to tie his tie every morning, and have done so for the last two years. little sod doesnt want to learn.

Gobbledigook · 02/10/2005 17:01

I've often wondered about this. Ds1 is 4.5 and can't do laces but that's because so many shoes come with velcro now that it's just much easier to buy those. I can remember my dad teaching me to tie laces with my brothers shoes - I think I was 3 or 4 - I could certainly do it when I went to school.

I wonder when I'll get round to teaching my boys!!

wordgirl · 02/10/2005 17:01

ds2 still struggles and he's 10

roisin · 02/10/2005 17:01

DS's teacher gave them this as a target to learn to do in yr3 (ie age 7-8). DS1 didn't manage it. He learned this summer (age just 8), but only by doing it the 'cheats' way. And he still finds it tricky.

LIZS · 02/10/2005 17:05

ds can just about do his . He is 7 1/2 and has motor skill issues so we felt it important for his confidence that he learnt so his Occupational Therapist taught him about 4 months ago. He is very proud that he can tie his soccer boots (most of the time) and some others can't, some even having velcro ones ! We are now working on school tie and top button which he is expected to be able to do by Christmas.

Nightynight · 02/10/2005 17:21

Later than me. Im not sure any of my children can do them yet, and the eldest is nearly 9. Theyve never had a pair of laceup shoes between them though!

ToadyTref · 02/10/2005 17:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Surfermum · 02/10/2005 17:55

We tied dsd's (doesn't live with us) until the day we caught her tying the laces for the boy next door. We asked her why she didn't do her own and she replied "why would I if you were doing it for me".

expatinscotland · 02/10/2005 17:56

I was 5 and had to learn it in kindergarten.

suedonim · 02/10/2005 18:20

I think dd was about 8 when she learned. I can remember so clearly the day I learned to tie a bow. We were in the car and I was playing with a piece of lilac ribbon, about 2cm wide. I think my mum was sitting next to me, which was v unusual. Suddenly, I tied a bow, almost by accident and I was so excited!! I was probably about 7.

mumeeee · 02/10/2005 20:58

My DD3 who is dyspraxic learnt to tie her shoe laces at 10, she still takes ages to do them and she is now 13. I spoke to her teacher about thiswhen she was in year 4 and was told that she had a few 8 year olds in the class who could not tie laces and this was quite common.

Milliways · 02/10/2005 21:17

My DS could tie laces at about 7, (had velcro before) but at 10 is only just getting the hang of doing them tightly enough so they stay done up!

In the shoe shop recently, trying on school shoes, I was about to tie them (save time) when the assistant stopped me. She said, only try the shoes with the laces done up as tightly as the child can do them, as after PE etc, that is how they will be.,

DD could do hers at 5 (she is now 14 & no velcro available then. School insisted they could do them if they had laces).

Original poster
SleepySuzy · 02/10/2005 21:17

I can tell dp to calm down a bit then! But I still think we'll encourage her to do it. It's just gonna be hard I think as we only have her every other weekend.

OP posts:
tensing · 02/10/2005 21:20

My 8 year old daughter can do them but badly, they are always to lose and come undone, so I end up doing them.

ThePrisoner · 03/10/2005 00:13

I am right-handed, but was taught to tie my laces by a left-handed next-door-neighbour when I was seven, and still tie them left-handed!

ScarySkribble · 03/10/2005 01:24

DS 8 can just do them very loosly, I think it is a fast disapearing traditional skill like wood turning and drystane dyking as they never undo laces anyway.

ghosty · 03/10/2005 02:17

My DS is 5 and I very stupidly sent DH out to buy him some new trainers. He came back with lace up ones ("It is about time he learned!") so who gets to have to tie up DS's shoe laces every day, 50 times a day? Yes, ME grrrrrrrrrrr!
So I have bought him a "Teach yourself how to tie your shoelaces" Kit ... from some book club ...
The goal is to learn by his 6th birthday (End of November)
I could definitely tie mine by the time I was 6 ... they didn't have velcro in those days did they so we had to learn didn't we?

goldenoldie · 03/10/2005 08:40

My DS can't do his at 10, but to be honest we have only had a couple of half-harted attempts at showing him and all shoes/trainers are velcro.

Original poster
SleepySuzy · 03/10/2005 20:08

Do they not teach this at school these days??

OP posts:
hunkerpumpkin · 03/10/2005 20:10

I know somebody who is in his 30s and struggles with laces. Honestly. And it's not DH

vickiyumyum · 03/10/2005 20:11

ds1 was about 7 when he finally mastered it properly, probably mosly due to having velcro shoes and trainers before for convenience.

Original poster
SleepySuzy · 03/10/2005 20:12

pmsl @ sauce!!

OP posts:
starshaker · 03/10/2005 20:14

i learnt when i was 4 or five but i remember i did it before my bro (like most things ) it was 12 at night was playing with my dolls and put my swimming cossie on 1 of them managed to tie it on my own. when i came downstairs to tell my mum she wasnt too pleased lol was the same day i heard them talking about getting the cat dressed and i came down with boots in a nice wee dress so my mum didnt have to pay to get it done

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread