Best Shoe Tying Aids for Kids in 2026: An Honest Comparison

Two Categories, Two Different Goals

If you're searching for shoe-tying help for your child, you'll find dozens of products. But they all fall into two categories:

Products that SKIP the tying — elastic laces, Lock Laces, Velcro conversions, magnetic closures. These eliminate the need to tie shoes entirely.

Products that TEACH the tying — Training Ties, practice boards, step-by-step kits. These help your child learn the actual skill of shoe tying.

Both categories are legitimate. But they solve fundamentally different problems, and choosing the wrong one leads to frustration. This guide breaks down every major option honestly — including the pros and cons of my own product.

Skip-the-Skill Solutions

Elastic No-Tie Laces (Lock Laces, Xpand, etc.)

What they do: Replace standard laces with elastic ones that stretch, turning any shoe into a slip-on. Your child never ties — they just pull the shoe on.

Pros: Immediate independence. No learning curve. Works with any shoe. Inexpensive ($6–10). Great for kids who need independence NOW — gym class, field trips, time pressure situations.

Cons: Does not teach tying. The child remains unable to tie standard laces. Fit can be looser than properly tied shoes. Some styles look noticeably different from regular laces.

Best for: Kids who need immediate shoe independence while working on tying skills separately. Also excellent as a permanent solution for children with physical disabilities that make tying impractical.

Velcro Shoes

What they do: Bypass laces entirely with hook-and-loop closures.

Pros: Maximum simplicity. No fine motor demand. Widely available for young children.

Cons: Style options decrease dramatically after age 7–8. Can carry social stigma for older kids. Velcro wears out and loses grip over time. Does not build any tying skills.

Best for: Young children (under 6) who aren't developmentally ready for tying. Less ideal as a long-term solution for school-age children who want to wear the same shoes as peers.

Magnetic Shoe Closures

What they do: Replace the tying mechanism with magnets that snap the shoe closed.

Pros: Very easy to use. Some brands look nearly identical to regular laces when closed.

Cons: More expensive ($15–25 per pair of closures). Limited shoe compatibility. Still does not teach tying. Magnets can weaken over time.

Best for: Older kids or adults who want the appearance of tied shoes without the motor demand.

Teach-the-Skill Solutions

Training Ties (My Product — Full Disclosure)

What it is: A patented shoe-tying learning tool featuring an adult-sized shoe with two-colored laces and checkpoint technology. Checkpoints prevent earlier steps from falling apart while the child practices the next step.

Pros: Designed specifically for backward chaining (the #1 OT-recommended method). Checkpoint technology eliminates the #1 cause of frustration — steps unraveling. Two-colored laces reduce visual confusion. Adult-sized shoe is easier for small hands. Most kids learn in 10–15 minutes. OT-approved. Made in USA. Patented design.

Cons: Costs $25 (more than elastic laces, though it's a one-time teaching tool). Requires an adult to guide the first session. It's a learning tool, not a permanent shoe modification — once the child learns, they won't need it anymore. Only available online.

Best for: Children ages 5+ who have the prerequisite fine motor skills and are ready to learn. Especially effective for kids with ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, or other conditions that make traditional instruction frustrating.

Practice Boards / Lacing Cards

What they are: Flat boards (often wooden or cardboard) with holes and laces for practicing the tying motion.

Pros: Inexpensive ($8–15). Portable. Can be used independently once the child understands the concept.

Cons: Flat surface doesn't replicate the 3D experience of a real shoe. No checkpoint technology — steps still unravel. Most don't use two-colored laces. Doesn't transfer well to actual shoe tying for many kids. Can feel "babyish" to older children.

Best for: Very young children (3–5) who are building pre-tying skills like lacing and threading, not yet ready for actual shoe-tying instruction.

YouTube Tutorials

What they offer: Free video demonstrations of various tying methods.

Pros: Free. Available immediately. Multiple methods shown.

Cons: Watching is not the same as doing. Videos can't provide physical guidance or feedback. Most demonstrate the standard method (not backward chaining). No tool to prevent steps from unraveling. Child still needs a shoe to practice on. Can lead to hours of frustrated repetition.

Best for: Parents who want to understand the method before teaching. Less effective as a standalone learning tool for the child.

How to Choose: A Decision Framework

If your child needs independence RIGHT NOW (school starts Monday, field trip tomorrow): elastic no-tie laces are your best bet. Get them independent today, then work on teaching the skill when there's no time pressure.

If your child is developmentally ready and you want them to LEARN the skill: a teaching tool with backward chaining methodology and checkpoint technology gives you the highest success rate in the shortest time.

If your child is under 5 or not yet showing readiness signs: Velcro shoes for now, lacing activities for skill building, and revisit tying instruction when they show the readiness signs.

If your child has a physical disability that makes tying impractical long-term: elastic laces or magnetic closures are excellent permanent solutions that provide full independence.

The Bottom Line

There's no single "best" shoe-tying aid — there's only the best one for YOUR child's situation right now. Skip-the-skill products and teach-the-skill products both have a place. The important thing is being intentional about which problem you're solving.

If your goal is your child actually learning to tie shoes, the research and 20 years of my classroom experience both point to the same answer: backward chaining + checkpoint technology + short sessions = success.