Toddler Independence Tips

I’d like to share a few tips on helping our little toddlers be more independent with dressing and undressing at home. Our cold days are mostly gone, and we need to plan accordingly before we head out of our house, right? This is the perfect time to teach a child how to get dressed.

1.   When children reach toddlerhood, their desire to assert their independence takes over. Often toddlers will request to assume some daily tasks on their own or help parents perform the tasks. Dressing is a job that toddlers can learn. Instruction and demonstration from parents are required to overcome their frustration when dressing becomes difficult.
2.  Set up your child's room to allow him easy access to his clothing. Hanging shirts and pants on a low bar in the closet and placing socks and underwear in the bottom drawer of a dresser will allow him to reach his clothes easily without asking for assistance.
3.  Choose clothing for your child that will be easy for her to put on herself. Shirts should have loose or v-necklines. Shorts and pants with elastic waistbands will be much easier to pull up and down than pants with snaps, buttons, or zippers. Slip-on shoes or shoes with Velcro instead of shoelaces.
4.  Show your child how to put on each article of clothing using simple words and directions. Teach him to look for the tag inside clothing to determine which side is the front and which is the back. Remind him frequently that when putting on underwear or pants, only one leg goes in each leg hole. Simple instructions and repetition will remind your child what to do, and with time, he will catch on.
5.  Practice dressing and undressing by allowing your toddler to play dress-up.
6.  Congratulate your child whenever she gets dressed, even if her clothes do not match or if her shirt is on backward. By simply getting the clothes onto her little body, she has accomplished a task, and by giving her praise, she will have the encouragement to continue dressing.

-Toddler Teacher