Name
Date
Certificate of Achievement
You learned to tie your shoes all by yourself!
Well done for practicing and learning!
Notes for adults
Celebrate learning to tie shoes independently with a certificate to fill in with the child’s name and date.
Learning objectives
- Tie a shoelace without help.
- Describe something that helped with learning.
- Recognize the effort put into practicing.
What you need
- Printed certificate
- Pencil or pen
- A shoe with laces
Safety notes
Ask your child to sit down while tying the shoe. Keep laces away from the neck and check that they are securely tied before walking.
How to do it
- Print the certificate and set out the shoe.
- Tell your child that the certificate celebrates their achievement.
- Show them how to place the shoe so it stays steady.
- Invite them to tie the lace independently, at their own pace.
- Talk about what they did to learn.
- Fill in the name and date together, then present the certificate.
Teaching suggestions
- Say, “You practiced a lot to learn how to tie that bow!”
- If your child asks for help, offer a verbal reminder and let them try again.
- Invite your child to practice while getting ready to go out, without rushing.
- In a group, celebrate each child’s progress without comparing their pace.
Variations
- Make it easier: Place the shoe on a table and offer a verbal reminder if your child asks for one.
- Add a challenge: Invite your child to explain each step while tying another shoe.
- Extend the activity: Ask your child to talk about or draw how they felt when they learned to tie their shoe.
Talk about it
- How did you learn to tie a bow?
- What helped you while you were practicing?
- How did you feel when you did it?
- What else would you like to learn to do?
What to look for
- Notice whether the child ties the shoelace without help.
- Listen for something the child says helped them practice.
- Notice whether the child recognizes their own effort when talking about the achievement.