How To Tie Knots: Free Lesson Plan and Activity

Perfect for P.E. class and outdoor education. 

Sponsored By Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation
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Learning to tie knots is a skill with a lot of added benefits. It helps you think thoughtfully and critically with each turn and loop. Plus, you can apply this knowledge to everyday life, from trying the knots out in your own home and backyard to using them in hobbies like fishing, camping, and climbing as well as survival skills. Kids love learning the ins and outs of how to tie different knots. It’s one of those delightfully simple skills where all you need is a string or rope and a little bit of practice.  

We know students are visual learners, and it helps to have step-by-step instructions to really solidify a concept. So we got together with our friends at Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation for this lesson and activity. We have a lesson plan, tips for how to make it work well in P.E. class, step-by-step illustrations of different knots, and a poster that displays these popular knots for students. 

Learn How To Tie Knots With This Free Printable Kit

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The lesson plan has everything you need to make this hands-on activity work for you. In addition, we know learning to tie knots is common for P.E. class, so we included specific ideas for how to make it work in this setting. With three different options to choose from, you’ll be able to use this lesson multiple times! 

How To Tie a Slip Knot, a Palomar Knot, and More

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Print out a few copies of the different knots so students can share and pass around. To make them extra sturdy, you could also laminate them. Then we recommend punching a hole in the top left part of the knot card and putting them on a single book ring for easy maintenance and flipping. 

Free Knot-Tying Poster for Schools

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When you see a specific knot, you naturally want to learn how to tie it. This poster is perfect for hanging in a gym, classroom, or hallway. We hope it encourages students to learn all of the knots, one at a time.