I can’t put my shoes and socks on!!!! A cry that will be echoing across the land with all those school starters this month! The answer is yes you can with some practice hints and tips!!
Here are some of our favourites...
Close your eyes and say I bet the magic pixie cannot help you get your shoes and socks on by the time I count to 20 and open my eyes – watch the delight on their face as magically their shoes and socks have appeared on their feet by the time you open your eyes (you may have to count slowly and have a peep to check things are progressing). Maybe start with just shoes or socks first.
Socks
Sit and pull hoops up over feet and up legs - use box circles if you don’t have hoops – (see picture)
Once hoops have been mastered try putting elastic bands over elastic bands over feet and pull up to ankles.
For putting on socks, adult to put the half-folded sock on child’s foot (see picture) and they then pull over the heel and up the foot/ankle, try starting with a trainer sock and then progress to an ankle sock.
For sock removal - pull the sock partly off and then let your little one finish removing the sock.
Use socks with coloured heels and toes, these help with positioning the sock.
Shoes
Sticker match (see picture below)
L and R reinforcement
Teach your child to clean their shoes- it’s a win, win they work on their bimanual and practical skills, their shoes are cleaned and they last longer.
Shoes laces
Sit behind to teach
Use pillow or big cuddly toy and 2 coloured ribbons/ties (see picture below)
Get smaller
Use 2 coloured laces
Try both techniques rabbit around tree or bunny ears (see pictures below)
The Bunny ears – Shoe laces technique
Put the end of the end of each of the shoe laces into the top holes at either side.
Tie the two loops into a double knot.
Remove the plastic tip form the holes and your shoe lace will now be tied
WE HOPE THAT YOU FIND THESE TIPS HELPFUL! YOU CAN FIND PART 1 OF THE GETTING DRESSED SERIES HERE.
Compiled by TCT's Specialist Occupational Therapy and Paediatric Physiotherapy teams. For more details about the services they offer, please use the link below.
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