Shoestrings

If you have ever been around Kimmie much, you have probably noticed the wad of shoestrings that she carries around with her. (unless you know her from school--we don't let her carry them to school)

Her interest in shoestrings began many years ago. I started it. When Kimmie was five she was in kindergarten. The class she was in didn't work out very well. Eventually we took her out of school for about a year and I homeschooled her while we tried to find an appropriate class. As I searched for activities that would develop different skills, I found this idea of using peg board and shoestrings to practice lacing and creating designs. Kimmie wasn't much interested in working the laces through the holes on the board, but she became obsessed with unlacing the board. I would string the laces every which way through the holes, criss-crossing them and changing direction. She would work diligently until all the laces were free of the board. It became a fine motor and problem solving activity.

Eventually we discarded the board, but she had become very attached to the shoestrings. She usually has four or five that have become her favorites. She will carry these around and fiddle with them. She will find the exact center of each and tie exactly the same number of knots in each, usually two or three. Then she will line up the knots in her hand. Kimmie is very tactile. The knots in each string have to match, they have to feel the same size and length, or she will rework them.

When we are headed to church we will usually try to get the shoestrings away from her so we can tie knots in them on the way. This keeps her busy for a while working to untie them. While she is busy with one, we will try to sneak another away from her to tie more knots in it. If she catches us, she will not let us have the string. It turns into a game as we try to out-maneuver her and get the shoestrings. Sometimes the whole family gets involved--Grandma, Grandpa, sister, Mom, Dad . . .

Kimmie is very tactile and she can be very picky about the strings. They must be flat shoestrings not round. No metallic threads in them. Not too slick. They must also be solid colors. Once she has played with one for a while she knows the feel of it and it cannot be replaced with another the same color, not even the matching one that came in the same package. She can tell the difference.

--Mom