At some point we all need to learn how to get ourselves dressed. There are a lot of things to learn. How to put things on, how to do up fastenings (buttons, zips etc.), what order they go in and back and front, left and right. Children need to develop these skills so that when they go to school they can take their coat on and off and change for P.E. Being independent can improve a child’s confidence and save time and “hassle” for all those involved.
Dressing up games are a fun way to learn.
It is important to set aside time to practise dressing skills when you are not in a hurry to get somewhere. Let your child complete one part of the task in their own time, this way they will feel that they have managed something rather than struggled with everything. Try to establish a routine and if your child becomes frustrated or distracted allow a break to do something else, brush teeth or have breakfast perhaps so that dressing is part of all that happens in the morning. Weekends and holidays can be good times to practice when things are not so rushed.
It can help to break the task of dressing down into small tasks where you will help your child but they will finish the task on their own (perhaps pulling their sock up or their T-shirt down).
These tasks can be thought of as a chain, linked together and reaching the end, a job well done. It is easier to teach the tasks in reverse order. This leaves the child with the feeling of having done it themself when they finish each task.
As it is done in reverse this way of teaching skills is often referred to as reverse chaining. The last task is taught first so that when all the tasks are learnt the child is independent.
Around 1 year your child will be holding arms out to help you dress them and push legs through pants and hold foot up for shoe to be put on. Can remove socks and likes to pull off shoes. They will also take a hat on and off.
Around
2 years they will find the armholes in T-shirts. They will
also be able to take off clothes without fastenings. They will help
push down pants when standing and if shoes are undone take them off.
Around 2 and a half years they will be able to put on a shirt that
is open down the front and take off pull down garments with an elastic
waist. They will try to put socks on.
Around 3 years they need help to put on or take off a T-shirt. They
will manage pull-down garments on their own. They will put on socks
but struggle with getting the heels straight. They can put on shoes
without fastenings and unbuckle them. They can also manage some zips
and large front buttons.
Around 5 - 6 years they will manage simple
pull on clothes and be able to put on socks and shoes with only a little
help managing some buckles and laces. They are well on their way to
independence and just need encouragement and support.
Reproduced with kind permission by Jill Steward, Occupational Therapist, Surestart, Stoke North.
