Tying shoelaces – easy as a smartphone

Children took part in a free shoelace tying program at the Bunbury Forum last week after research discovered two-thirds of three to five-year-olds could navigate a smartphone or an iPad, but just eight per cent could tie their shoes.

The interactive lessons run by Ascent Footwear in conjunction with the Athlete’s Foot Bunbury, guided students through the nine steps of tying shoelaces until they were able to master the task on their own.

Ascent area manager Stephen Snowdon said the program, which also visited schools, had taught 80,000 students to tie their laces in the past year.

“It’s that sense of achievement they get when they do it because its not that they don’t have time to learn or mum and dad don’t want to teach them, its purely because a lot of shoes these days are velcro for the age group,” he said.

“That is what is causing the issue as well as technological problems like using iPhones, computers which they can use from when they are two to three years old, but they haven’t got the fine motor skills.

“It’s all about that dexterity and making sure they understand they are learning a necessary life skill.”

Children were taught the “make a tree, around the tree” method and were given certificates.