Rip the Velcro

What you need

• their shoes with velcro fastenings

How to do it

1. Sit down together with their shoes still on.
2. Show them the velcro strap and lift the very end of it.
3. Let them pull it open. The noise is most of the appeal.
4. Take the shoe off yourself once both straps are open.

Why it matters

Velcro is the one part of a shoe a toddler can genuinely beat, and it makes a loud satisfying noise while they do it, which is why it's the best place to start.

What they're learning

Pinch and pull

Getting hold of a strap end and pulling it back is a proper pincer grip doing a real job.

Cause and effect

Pull, and it rips open with a noise: instant, obvious, repeatable.

Starting the job

Undoing the fastening is the first step of taking a shoe off, learned on its own.

What to look for

Watch for them going for the strap before you've asked, as soon as they sit down.

A tip

Velcro shoes are worth having for this age for exactly this reason. They're the ones a toddler can make progress on.

More like this

Paper on the Wall from 22 months · 5-10 min The Tub They Can't Open from 12 months · 5-10 min Fridge Door Gallery from 30 months · 10-15 min Twist The Lid from 26 months · 5-10 min