I love shoes with Velcro fasteners. In fact, I love anything invented to help young children to master life skills more easily. I read somewhere that Velcro was first invented for use by NASA during outer space missions. It is such a versatile thing.
When toddlers first learn to put shoes on by themselves, the initial objective is to actually have the shoes put on properly on each foot. Thongs and slip-on shoes are easy to put on but they usually do not offer as much support. Shoes with Velcro fasteners, buckles and laces offer the user adjustments to suit his/her own comfort level. Shoes with Velcro fasteners are the easiest for a toddler to master by far. They are easy to adjust and to fasten. Later when the child is ready for the challenge, shoes with buckles and then shoes with laces can be introduced. Allow the children plenty of opportunities to practice during the day by turning it into a game to try on different clothing items. Most children would enjoy spending time doing this with an adult. Time management is always important when working with children. If children are expected to dress themselves, be prepared to give them an ample amount of time to do so. The last thing a busy adult wants is to battle to put a shoe on for a wilful toddler who insists on putting it on by him/herself.
Almost all children go through a stage of not knowing which shoe to put on which foot. Stella’s mum has a neat idea. She taught Stella to take off her shoes and place each one in front of her in the right order before picking them up and placing them neatly on her shoe rack. This way, Stella could put them on without asking for help because they are already in the right order.
Another trick I used to teach pre-school aged children is to encourage them to look at the soles of the shoes. The straight edge is always on the outside of the foot and the curved edge in on the inside. Some children may not understand it immediately but they usually do after plenty of practice.
Shoes with Velcro fasteners also almost always have tabs fastened to the outer side of the foot. This feature too can act as a reminder for children to learn to put their shoes on in the right order.
When toddlers first learn to put shoes on by themselves, the initial objective is to actually have the shoes put on properly on each foot. Thongs and slip-on shoes are easy to put on but they usually do not offer as much support. Shoes with Velcro fasteners, buckles and laces offer the user adjustments to suit his/her own comfort level. Shoes with Velcro fasteners are the easiest for a toddler to master by far. They are easy to adjust and to fasten. Later when the child is ready for the challenge, shoes with buckles and then shoes with laces can be introduced. Allow the children plenty of opportunities to practice during the day by turning it into a game to try on different clothing items. Most children would enjoy spending time doing this with an adult. Time management is always important when working with children. If children are expected to dress themselves, be prepared to give them an ample amount of time to do so. The last thing a busy adult wants is to battle to put a shoe on for a wilful toddler who insists on putting it on by him/herself.
Almost all children go through a stage of not knowing which shoe to put on which foot. Stella’s mum has a neat idea. She taught Stella to take off her shoes and place each one in front of her in the right order before picking them up and placing them neatly on her shoe rack. This way, Stella could put them on without asking for help because they are already in the right order.
Another trick I used to teach pre-school aged children is to encourage them to look at the soles of the shoes. The straight edge is always on the outside of the foot and the curved edge in on the inside. Some children may not understand it immediately but they usually do after plenty of practice.
Shoes with Velcro fasteners also almost always have tabs fastened to the outer side of the foot. This feature too can act as a reminder for children to learn to put their shoes on in the right order.
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