Development of Dressing Skills
By kay Benjamin, O.T.R.
Much to their parents' frustration, children learn to undress long before they learn to put clothes on. They delight in practicing their undressing skills and in running through the house or yard quite naked. This common stage of normal development passes in a few months.
\Her is the sequence of how dressing skills usually develop. The time at which each skill is acquired might vary by several months, but whether skills are late or early, the sequence is usually the same.
The first year
As early as 10 months: may be accustomed to the dressing process. Helps pull a leg from a pants leg or an arm from a sleeve.
Between 10 and 12 months: cooperates by pushing arms into sleeves and legs into pants. may raise a foot upon reque3st when the shoe comes into sight.
12 months: may remove shoes if you loosen the laces.
The second year
13 months: stiffens neck as shirt is pulled over head.
16 months: deliberately removes hat and socks.
18 months: can put on a hat, unzip a large zipper, and remove an unbuttoned button-type shirt.
18 to 24 months: will probably be able to undress from some outfits without help. This is when you may have the child ready to leave the house, turn your back, and turn back to find a naked child!
24 months: puts on shoes with only a little help. This is a good age to practice unbuttoning large buttons. may begin to pull pants off without help. A few months later, will help pull pants back up. This is good timing as you begin to think about toilet training.
The third year
26 to 30 months: undresses from a variety of outfits with only a little help.
30 months: hangs clothes on a hook when you request.
30 to 36 months: fastens large buttons and dresses fully. May need help to identify front and back and help with fasteners.
Beyond age 3
Children refine and get faster at skills they have learned. A 4-year-old will button small buttons and learn to lace shoes. Tying shoes will come around age 6; until then, hook-and-loop closures can add to independence.
How can I help?
From the first few months of life, dress your child in a routine way. Describe what you are doing as you go along. Little phrases such as "give me your foot," "over your head," and "where's your arm?" can become meaningful if you use them each time you dress the child.
Expand your child's vocabulary and make dressing a learning time by saying the names for different articles of clothing. Always give your child a chance to help with dressing, especially from 10 months on. At that age, you might pause a moment when you have placed the child's hand in the sleeve. Applaud and give praise when the child pushes the arm through.
After 14 months, naming the clothing becomes even more important s your child learns new words. Take advantage of your child's natural urge to imitate-give more help with one side and let the child do more to dress the other side.
At this age, children understand that the shoe goes on the foot but haven't developed the muscle coordination to get it there. lend a hand when necessary - help your child to succeed. you don't want your child to give up, but you also don't want to show that only you can do the job.
Develop some fun dressing rituals to encourage cooperation and participation. Make up a little song; play peek-a-boo as the shirt goes over the head. These can make dressing go faster, too.
Your older toddler will develop a surprising interest in clothes. The child may insist on choosing the clothes or balk at your choices. Make sure the clothing your child chooses is comfortable; no one likes heavy, cumbersome, or binding clothing. It may satisfy the need for independence if you place two choices in a drawer for the child to decide between. That way, the outfit will be acceptable to you and the child's opinion will be respected.
What to look for in clothing
Your child will probably outgrow clothes before they fall apart, so look for bargains. Look for durable, simple clothes which wash well, If you buy clothing that is too big, it might look worn or faded by the time your child grows into it.
Look for clothes with large buttons, large, easy-gliding zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, large armholes, wide sleeves, and big or stretchy necks. Pants, shorts, and skirts with elastic waistbands are much easier to deal with than those with zippers or snaps. Since tube sock are loose and stretchy and don't have defined heel, they are much easier to put on and take off than the tight, nylon socks often sold for children.
Don't be upset by dirty clothes. Dirt and stains are facts of life for babies and toddlers; neither you nor your child should feel bad about that. Just have a good supply of everyday clothes and save a few nice outfits for special occasions.
Other activities to develop dressing skills
Here are some ways to work dressing skills into your child's play:
- Put brightly colored bracelets on wrists and ankles to help develop body awareness.
- Let your child try on a variety of hats in front of a mirror, and fit your child's feet into grown-up shoes.
- Play dress-up games with a large button down shirt and a t-shirt to practice pulling it overhead. if your child is sensitive to things being pulled overhead, encourage play with hats, necklaces, and bandannas.
Fasteners may be easier to learn if your chill is not wearing the item of clothing. Let you child button a shirt you are wearing, or lay the shirt on a table so the child can see it will. There are a variety of books and dolls available which have fasteners for children to open and close,.
Summary
Learning to get dressed is an import nat part of growing up and development independence and self-esteem. Always encourage your child to move on to new skills, regardless of the child's age. Make sure your child has chances to help out an early age-when your child is involved from the start, becoming independent will be easier.
1990 by Communication Skill Builders, Inc.
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