Kids these days are interested in so many activities. The best way to keep them indulged in any action and keep them moving is by getting them a pair of cute and pinky shoes. These are known to make a typical sound when your kid dances or walks. But, these can get annoying sometimes and too loud for the neighborhood if your kid loves running about wearing them.
One sensible alternative is to glue pennies to the bottom of your kids’ shoes. It is a new trend these days. Children love dancing and playing about so much; pennies at the bottom of shoes replicate tap shoes perfectly. So each time your little one is dancing to his tunes, he is going to enjoy more with the tap dancing and the crinkly sound that the pennies make on hitting the floor.
Wonder how you go about it and how does it help your child? We have everything listed about gluing pennies to the bottom of shoes and how it helps you and your child enjoy their tap dance.
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Why Do Parents Glue Pennies To Their Kid’s Shoes?
If your children are interested in dancing and love hopping about here and there like cute bunnies, then sticking pennies to their shoes is the best way to keep them engaged. It also keeps them entertained and connected to dancing while inculcating an activity like tap dance. The crinkly sound that the pennies make connects with children’s mindset and makes them move and wiggle.
As children grow, they tend to develop several hobbies and cant fix their minds on anything particular. If your children are aspiring tap dancers and like to shake their leg, or if you simply want to distract their feeble and innocent minds, then pennies at the bottom of the shoes are a great idea.
Moreover, it is a better deal to stick pennies rather than investing in a pair of tap shoes that are very expensive and not going to fit your child forever.
This trick is very famous amongst parents in the US these days and has proven to work wonders on children. Moreover, if you want to keep track of where your kid is walking and heading silently, then pennies are like a warning signal for you to be around for your kid.
What Happens When You Glue Pennies To The Bottom Of Shoes?
Pennies are made of copper. Copper tends to produce a crinkly sound when it hit the floor or any hard surface that mimics the sound produced by tap shoes. The crinkly sound can be distracting and entertaining for your kids and keep them engaged in activity and dancing for quite a while. It serves the functionality of tap shoes without actually having to buy one.
If you glue pennies at the bottom of the shoes and hit them on a marble or wooden floor, it replicates the tap dancer’s shoes’ exact sound. However, there are certain conditions that you may need to fulfill which will result in an appropriate tap sound like that of tap shoes:
The number of pennies stuck below your kid’s shoes is proportional to the amount of sound produced and the tapping.
Ensure you have well-furnished flooring in your house if you plan to entertain your kids with pennies under shoes.
If you use the proper technique for sticking the pennies under your shoes, you can generate a booming tapping sound.
What Ingredients Do You Need To Glue Pennies To Kids’ Shoes & How To Do It?
The method of gluing pennies to your kids’ shoes seems a lot simpler than purchasing and looking for a pair of tap shoes. However, you need to place the pennies properly for the right amount of tapping and stick it with the right proportion of glue. So, how to get it right? We have a step by step procedure to get you started on gluing pennies to your shoes:
What you need:
- Pennies (approximately 15-20 pennies)
- Strong glue
- Stick tape (optional to glue)
- And lastly, lots of patience
Steps to stick pennies to the bottom of the shoes:
- Collect a good amount of pennies. You may need to stick a few on the upper portion and a few at the bottom heel area. Take around 15-20 pennies.
- Next, you will need to determine the shoe size, based on which you would decide the number of pennies needed. If the shoe size is larger, you will need more pennies for the right tapping sound.
- Usually, children have tiny feet, so the size of the shoe would also be smaller. You would roughly need around 4-5 pennies to stick to the north side of the shoe and the same number to balance the weight and the tapping sound at the south side of the shoe.
- Once you have determined the number of pennies you need for each shoe, start by putting a few drops of glue right at the center of the penny and stick at the sole of the shoe.
- You can stick 2 pennies at the top horizontally, followed by 3 pennies at the bottom, and follow the same pattern for the south portion of the shoe. This creates a proportionate amount and weight and creates the exact clinky sound you need.
- Make sure not to put too much or too little glue. Too much glue would not create the appropriate tapping sound and make it difficult for the penny to come off the shoes as well. Also, less glue will cause the penny to fall off the shoe.
- Balance the positions of the penny properly so that the weight of the shoe remains proportionate. One should not feel heavy, and the north portion must not seem heavier than the south portion.
- Alternatively, you can also use stick tape to place the pennies on the shoe. But a stick tape may not have the same tapping and crinkly effect as that of pennies stuck with glue.
Benefits Of Gluing Pennies To Shoes
Now those who are new to this trick of gluing pennies to the bottom of the shoes must be wondering what the benefit of gluing them at the bottom of your child’s shoes is. Well, we have the answer:
- Gluing pennies at the bottom of your child’s shoes keeps them distracted due to the crinkly sound while you are at work and diverts their attention from getting naughty or destructive.
- It helps you track your kid’s activities as well.
- It is a cheaper alternative to buying tap shoes that might cost you a heavy buck.
- It provides a decent grip on the floor and does not slip easily.
- The crinkly and the tapping sound replicates precisely like that of a tap shoe.
Do shoes last long by gluing pennies?
Many of us are not supportive of the idea when it comes to modifying or customizing our shoes. Especially when it involves strong glue, it may rip off the outsole completely if you glue pennies at the bottom.
Luckily, pennies’ surface is such that it comes off easily if you want to get the shoes back to normal. It does not rip off the outsole, either keeping the shoes intact and not damaging the design or material in any way.
For which, you can also get good quality shoes that allow you to customize and modify them. Quality shoes last a long way and are not damaged or destroyed, be it with pennies or glue.
The bottom line
Tap dancing is always fun, and children enjoy it most of the time. Luckily, you do not have to necessarily purchase a pair of tap dance shoes as we a hack that costs you only a few pennies.
Gluing pennies at the bottom of your kid’s shoes with the steps mentioned above makes sure to keep your toddler engaged for a long time of fun. The crinkly sound also helps you keep track of your baby’s footsteps and is a very creative activity to engage in.
Who knows, your kid would turn up to be a great tap dancer with pennies glued below their shoes. Read our article above and tell us if it helped you keep your tiny loved ones engaged and entertained through the comments section below.
Brandon R. Katz is a registered professional nurse who has been instrumental in providing us with an informed opinion on the medical aspects of footwear. He graduated from NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and currently provides his services at a non-federal long-term care hospital in Brooklyn, NY.
Brandon proves to be the champion in the group of expert writers with his in-depth knowledge in foot health, how to take care of it adequately, and what shoes, socks, or insoles will be supreme for you. He has previously worked with hospitals where he has foreseen both inpatient and outpatient departments and has been a practicing nurse since 2009.
Brandon hails from Jersey City, NY, and has a loving family of four with a small popper called Rozo. His decision to become a nurse arises from the desire to be in the position of helping and rehabilitating people.
