Toggle Shoe Laces – Never Tie Your Shoes Again

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated and revised for accuracy on April 2022 and reflects an up-to-date selection of toggle shoe laces.

Do you have a child that is having a hard time learning how to tie his/her shoes? Have you noticed your child walking around with untied shoelaces all the time?

Learning how to tie shoes can be a challenge for most children, particularly for boys!

Most girls tend to start learning how to tie their shoes when they are between the ages of 5 or 6 years old, while most boys start learning how to tie their shoes when they are 7 years old or older.

If your child is having a hard time learning how to tie his/her shoes and the selection of shoes with velcro closure to choose from is getting smaller, then I recommend that you let your child choose a pair of shoes that come with shoelaces, and then replace the shoelaces with a toggle shoe lace.

Do you know what a toggle shoelace is?

Toggle shoelaces —also referred as to Lock Laces— are a no-tie lacing system that looks like this:

You simply replace your kids’ shoelaces with toggle shoelaces, and you’ll never have to worry about your kids’ shoes coming untied again!

Some children who wear a shoe size 3 or above don’t have many velcro options to choose from, so a toggle shoelace allows those children to choose shoes with shoelaces, so the shoe options open up considerably.

You might have seen this type of closure in your kids’ Keen sandals before, and I mention Keen sandals because they are the most popular summer shoe style for kids.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes

I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for the last 10 years, where we specialize in children with foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fittings as well. Over the years I got familiar with which shoe brands and which shoe styles among those brands are better than others.

I always recommend parents to provide their children with shoes that come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure, for their kids to get better support and stability. However, if the shoelaces are untied all the time or not tied properly, your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer.

There is an article that I created that you might find helpful as it describes the best velcro shoes in larger sizes:

Velcro Kids’ Sneakers in Large Sizes – Finding Velcro Shoes for Kids with Big Feet!

In addition, when a child is walking or running around with untied shoelaces, it can lead to several foot and leg injuries. There are circumstances where not everyone can tie their shoelaces, and this can be due to several reasons. The 3 most popular ones are:

✅ Age

✅ Health

✅ Desire

If your child is not ready to learn how to tie his/her shoes yet, I will show you the best alternative. Let me show you a selection of the best toggle shoelaces for children.

Toggle Shoe Laces – Never Tie Your Kids’ Shoes Again!

If you have children that are too young or not ready to learn how to tie their shoes, a friend or family member who has a hard time bending over, or a child with special needs, then toggle shoelaces are a smart, and durable alternative to keeping their shoes tight. Lock laces for kids help save parents and children a lot of time when rushing to school!

I see a lot of children at the shoe store that I work for that struggle with tying their shoelaces. They either don’t want to deal with the responsibility of tying their shoelaces or their motor skills are not developed yet. Like I mentioned before, boys and girls start tying their shoes at different ages, with girls learning how to tie them at a younger age. Obviously, this varies from child to child, but the fact is that most girls are more likely to play with their bows and crafts, which helps them develop better motor skills.

We have had several children that came to the shoe store between the ages of six and seven that measured over a shoe size 3, and the selection of velcro sneakers drops considerably. This means that they either have to choose from the two or three shoe styles available, or they have to switch to a pair of lace up sneakers.

By that age, most children might be already tying their shoes but some of them still might not know how to tie them. The good news: your child can choose from the shoelace selection, and then you switch the laces to provide your child with a pair of toggle shoelaces until he or she is ready to learn to tie his/her shoes!

The Best Toggle Shoe Laces for Kids ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Below you can find a selection of the best toggle shoelaces that I have fitted before. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.

I have read that Lock Laces are engineered to help athletes improve performance. However, I strongly disagree with that statement. I do not recommend these for an individual who is involved in competitive sports or runs long distances.

Toggle Shoe Laces For Kids – How Easy Is To Put Them On?

Parents tend to ask this common question: “Will lock laces fit any shoe?“

The answer is: YES! You can trim them to fit any shoe! Toggle shoe laces are easy to put on; it usually takes me a maximum of 3 minutes to do them in the store. Follow these easy steps for putting the lock laces in the shoe:

✅ Remove the shoelaces from the shoe.

✅ Insert the new lock laces in the shoe.

✅ Squeeze lock and thread each lace through lock.

✅ Use scissors to cut laces 2-3 inches below lock.

✅ Insert laces into the clip.

✅ Press to close.

To get the best fit, always install the toggle shoelaces when the shoe is in the child’s foot. Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble fitting the lock laces in your kids’ shoes

Stop your Kids’ Shoelaces from Untying! – Prevent Falls and Injuries!

If your children are struggling with tying their shoes, then you either have to provide them with a pair of velcro sneakers or a pair of toggle shoelaces. Please remember: walking or running with untied shoelaces will make your child more prone to falling, and therefore increase the risk for injuries.

Toggle laces have become extremely popular not only among young children, but also teenagers and adults.

While I believe lock laces are a great feature for children who are not ready to start tying their shoes, they are not appropriate for every child. Learn if your child qualifies for a pair of lock laces:

Lock laces are appropriate for:

• Children who are too young to learn how to tie their shoes.
• Children who don’t want to learn how to tie their shoes.
• Young adults who have trouble tying their shoes.
• Special needs children that don’t have any Velcro sneaker options available in their size.
• The elderly who have trouble reaching down.
• People with back problems that find it hard to bend over to tie their shoes.

Lock laces are not appropriate for:

• Children or young adults who are involved in competitive sports.
• Children who have stability issues.
• Children who need maximum shoe support.
• Long distance runners.

What Are the Main Advantages of Using Lock Laces? – Let’s Find Out!

One of the greatest advantages is how it gives children the independence of being able to adjust their shoes by themselves, and parents won’t have to worry about tying their shoes constantly every time they become untied. Some of the advantages are:

• Easy to use.
• Stretch-fit comfort.
• Locked-in safety.
• Water-resistant.

Keep in mind that not all toggle shoelaces are the same, there are certain kinds that are made from better materials and will be more durable than others. We have tried some brands where the parents had to keep coming back to the store due to the elastic laces falling apart. There is one brand that I stand behind and that I have tried in the store and work wonders: Lock Laces.

 How to Teach Children to Tie Their Shoes – Never Force Them to Learn!

Children must want to learn how to tie their shoes for them to successfully accomplish this task.  Otherwise, you will be wasting your time trying to teach them.

I created an article where I explain the simplest, yet most effective way to teach a child how to tie his/her shoes. Go to the link below:

How to Teach a Child to Tie His Shoes – Follow these Easy Steps

If your children are serious about running, then you must purchase a pair of shoes that come with shoelaces. That is the best way to secure the foot and to get all the features that the shoe has to offer!

If you want to learn about the best running shoes for children, you should take a look at an article I wrote called:

The Best Running Shoes for Kids – Allow Your Kids’ to ZOOM in their Shoes

Are your children having a hard time learning how to tie their shoes? Do your kids keep falling because the shoelaces keep coming untied? Have you provided your child with a pair of lock laces? Please share your thoughts in the comments sections below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.