by Ginger Gillenwater

Created on: January 24, 2013   Last Updated: January 28, 2013

When looking for a crafty idea for the kids, look no further than your shoes. Shoelaces, as simple as they are, can be exactly what you need to hang that picture on the wall or make the ideal friendship bracelet. You can also give a craft a little extra flare with a colorful shoelace. With that said, here are some shoelace craft ideas that will certainly keep the kids entertained.

Shoelace belt

To create a shoelace belt, measure your waist, then add 12 to 18 inches to the measurement. Acquire shoelaces that match the total measurement. Next, pick up a set of decorative beads and thread the beads onto the end of the shoelaces. Then simply wrap the laces around your waist and tie it off. You can also braid multiple shoelaces together to make a braided belt.

Animal masks

Have each child draw a large picture of their favorite animal’s face on a colored sheet of paper. Cut out the face, poke holes in the sides of the mask, insert the end of a shoelace in each hole, and knot off the shoelace so the knot is larger than the hole. Place the mask on the face, then tie the shoelaces together behind the head.

Shoelace braids

Girls can have a lot of fun braiding shoelaces into their hair. Braid one shoelace in the hair or braid more than one. Girls can also braid together shoelaces, then braid their hair with the braided laces. It is fun to experiment.

Shoelace key rings

Cut off the plastic ends of two shoelaces and have an adult cauterize the ends with a lighter. Take a metal key ring and slide the laces through it like you would your keys, but do not do it all the way, so that the key ring is holding the laces.

Arrange the laces to where they look like the letter X. Place your thumb in the center of the X to hold it, fold a top corner downward while leaving one where it is and take the lower left corner and lace it over top of the corner that didn’t move and under the one that did.

Repeat this for the other side, then tighten it. When you have repeated this process and are finished lacing the key chain, ask an adult to use the lighter again to heat up the excess lace to where it melts and can be bent downward to keep the key chain from unraveling.

Lacing cards

Lacing cards are ideal for smaller children, as they help develop hand-eye coordination. The cards are typically pictures of animals with holes around the edges that allow children to lace the shoelaces through the holes, resulting in a decorative effect.

There are many more crafts kids can make using shoelaces. Try making hair bows, Chinese drums, necklaces or anything your child’s imagination conjures up. Shoelaces offer an affordable way to have craft time at home, school, church, daycare or anywhere that children need to be entertained and intellectually stimulated.

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