Age: From 2.5 years old
Activity Duration: 10-15 minutes
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Objective(s):
1. To train the child’s fine motor skills.
2. To train the child practical skills in tying his own shoelace.
Materials:
1. 1 shoes card with punched holes *
2. 1 colourful shoelace approx. 130cm long
3. 1 tray
* Montessori materials are expensive if you want to buy it, but many can be made easily yourself much cheaply. See below how to do it yourself. It is very easy. For variety, you can also use a toy shoes or real shoes. Just place the shoes on the tray, and not with the child wearing it.
Directions:
1. Show your child by tying a knot in the shoelace.
2. Show your child by picking up the shoelace with one hand and begin the sewing action. Start with the shoelace above the card and go under. Then bring the shoelace back up through the next hole.
3. Go about halfway and encourage your child to complete it.
4. Remove the shoelace and repeat the activity if your child is interested.
Special Warning:
Supervise closely with shoe lace. Remove and store away immediately after activity.
Cost:
Total Cost: 45 DKK (10.80 SGD)
Shoe lace: 35 DKK (8.40 SGD) from Lyngby shoe repair shop
Lamination: 10 DKK (2.40 SGD) from Lyngby station photo development shop, but you can laminate 3 pictures, thus it works out to 3 DKK per picture.
How to Make Lacing Shoes Card Yourself?
1. Download picture from
here.
2. Print it, cut the picture out and laminate it.
3. Punch holes using a belt hole puncher on the picture marked out for shoelaces.
Additional Information:
I am very happy to receive a toy shoes from my friend K, but J is still too young to try it. Thus, I have made this shoe card for him to try it. When he is older, I will let him try the wooden toy shoes and then proceed to a real pair of shoes.
If you don't have the time to make your own, you can also buy something similar from Amazon:
