How to teach a child to dress himself?

Encouraging your child's independence is very important in the early years of life. It should be a gradual process in which, little by little, he or she will acquire skills that allow him or her to function independently.

It is common for children to want to learn to do some of the daily tasks on their own and begin to show signs that they want to do so.

Signs of emerging autonomy in young children

These types of behaviors are clear signs that your son or daughter wants to start doing things on their own:

• He watches you with interest and curiosity when you carry out daily activities or imitates you.
• Ask how things are done with the intention of understanding the processes and their steps.
• He tries to carry out tasks on his own initiative , such as putting on his shoes, eating with cutlery or picking up and putting away his toys.
• Refuses help , either by moving away when you try to help or by verbalizing it. Phrases like “I”, “I can”, “I do it myself” or “I alone” are very common at this stage.

Every child is unique, so the moment in which these behaviors occur may vary. As a general rule, it will depend on the development of their motor skills , both fine and gross, which will allow them to carry out simple tasks such as using cutlery properly or putting on a jacket.

How to teach a child to dress and undress

If you have noticed that your son or daughter is interested in starting daily tasks more independently, take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen your bond and encourage their independence .

Motivation for learning

The first step is to embrace their interest in learning new things, celebrating their efforts and initiative.

Create a positive environment that makes dressing and undressing fun and rewarding, reinforcing self-esteem and encouraging learning.

Keep in mind that while your son or daughter is learning, everyday tasks will likely take much longer than normal , so you will need to be patient and plan accordingly.

You can also agree with your son or daughter on a time of day when you are not in a rush , such as after a shower, so that he or she can try it calmly until he or she has more practice.

Let him participate in choosing clothes

Although your child may not yet have the ability to choose the most appropriate clothing for the weather, you can encourage him to participate in choosing his clothing by giving him several options that are suitable.

Offer children's clothing options that are easy to put on and take off so that learning is comfortable and progressive: shirts, polo shirts, dresses...

Learn to dress step by step

Even if you know perfectly well how to dress a child , this process is new for him, so it is ideal to break down the task into small steps to follow.

You can start by letting your child undress on their own . This will usually be easy, for example, for shoes or socks, but the rest of the clothing will be more difficult for them, especially shirts, pants or other tight-fitting clothing.

Explain to him how to do it, give him time and, if he doesn't succeed and asks for help, gently guide his hands to direct his movements. Little by little he will grasp the ideas and learn the movements by himself .

Once he knows how to undress, it will be easier for him to dress himself. You can start trying with clothes that are easy to put on and take off and in a certain order, for example from head to toe .

Start with socks and underwear, move on to pants or skirts, and finish with shirts or T-shirts, taking the time to arrange each item of clothing correctly.

Again, let him try it on his own and ask for help if he needs it .

Practice and motivation are the keys to learning

Practice every day, at a specific time or every time you get dressed or undressed. Ideally, use a time when you are relaxed and not in a hurry .

Little by little you will see how it becomes easier for him to put on each item of clothing, something that you can use to promote his self-esteem by recognizing and valuing his achievements , no matter how small they may be.

At what age do children dress themselves?

Children do not learn to dress themselves completely all at once , but rather it is a process linked to motor skills that often takes years to complete.

Between the first and second years of life , children show interest in dressing and undressing and can help by following an adult's movements.

Between the ages of two and three, they usually participate more actively, mainly by undressing, and from then on, they begin to acquire sufficient skills to put on some basic items of clothing.

Most children can dress themselves between the ages of four and five and gain complete independence, including the ability to choose appropriate clothing, by the age of six.