Guide
Painting on the train? With a few tricks you can be relaxed and creative
by Stefanie Lechthaler
Parents' tip: Tying shoes made easy
1.9.2020
Translation: machine translated
In kindergarten, tying shoes with the "Mäschli" is an important part of learning. However, the whole process is a challenge for many children in terms of fine motor skills. With this craft activity, you can teach your child in a playful way.
Get ready for crafting
Create your own shoe
Paint the tissue box with craft paint.
Cut a larger opening in the back of the box so that there is room for the foot. Leave the original opening at the front.
Poke individual holes in the cardboard with the needle, through which you will later thread the laces.
Tie three pieces of yarn together and pull the new rope through the first opening of the box. Of course, you can also use a thick yarn or even a real shoelace for this. But since we're in a DIY mood, the threads are tied into a plait. You can use the clothes pegs to secure the braid if you want to measure the length of the braid or if you need a break.
Zigzag the braid through the holes, leaving about 30 centimetres of yarn.
You can wrap tape around the end of the braid without knotting it. The knot might get in the way when practising. The tape, on the other hand, gives the braid the same stability as a real shoelace.
The saying is very important. I wrote it down on a piece of paper and explained it with symbols. We always use this sheet to help us.
It's easy with the rhyme
Rhymes and verses are practical learning aids for children. With their great imagination, they can visualise how they experience these adventures
Tips for learning
Consciously choose two different colours for the laces. Children can tell the two laces apart much better while they are knotting them.
Create a motivation. Either you use the child's inner motivation because they have come up with the idea themselves and want to do something on their own. Or you can offer your child an exciting play experience to practise. For example, after tying their shoes each time, the child can run around the house with their cardboard shoes and play at having the biggest feet in the world.
Stop the exercise when the child has no more energy and starts to do nonsense. Children at this age have a short concentration span. It's better to practise a little bit at a time.
I hope you enjoy trying it out and look forward to hearing about your experiences with my instructions. You can read more educationally valuable play and craft ideas from me here.
My students, but also my own children, inspire me every day with their wild imaginations. I love to document the creative projects that come from them on my blog Fantasiewerk. I hope to inspire many moms and dads to do crafts with their children. [Fantasiewerk.ch](https://fantasiewerk.ch)
Guide
Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.
Show all
