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?When children learn how to dress themselves it is a huge accomplishment.
Independent dressing is a skill that needs to taught and practiced.
Here are some tips for teaching your child how to dress:
1. Children will usually learn to undress first. Remember to allow your kids plenty of practice time to undress. Praise them for being independent when they are undressing by themselves.
2. Be patient. Don’t try to teach your kids dressing skills if you are in a rush. It takes children a long time to dress themselves. Perhaps pick out clothes the night before to eliminate one step & give them plenty of time.
3. Provide them with verbal cues to help them get the hang of things step by step. As your child becomes more independent, reduce the verbal cues until they can be left to do it independently
4. Start with elastic shorts & pants or shirts & tops without buttons to make things easier – because that’s good for feeling successful
5. Lay your child’s clothes out in the proper order to make it easier for your child to get dressed. Make sure all the clothes are turned the right side out.
6. Practising dressing a doll or a stuffed toy first as it’s a good way to build confidence.
7. If your child is sensitive to clothing, try cutting tags out of the shirts or buying seamless clothes. Try washing the clothes several times before wearing them to help particularly if your child has additional needs.
8. Once your child can dress independently, practice the skills in different environments (like in the bathroom rather than the bedroom) to build up their confidence
9. Don’t forget to practice getting dressed in front of the mirror too.
It’s a good idea to start at weekends or when you have plenty of time during holidays.
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