On Her Own: Teaching Your Preschooler to Dress Herself

On Her Own: Teaching Your Preschooler to Dress Herself

She pairs her polka dot shirt with striped pants and finishes it off with flower hair accessories. One look is all it takes: your little aspiring fashionista is experimenting with clothes again.

Watching your daughter dress up by her self is always a great source of entertainment. But this seemingly cute moment is actually an important life skill that can foster independence and encourage logical thinking. These are two important traits that will help her grow into a self-assured adult.

Teaching your daughter how to dress up may not seem important or urgent, but now is the perfect time to add it to your parenting "to do" list.

Decisions, Decisions

Your child has not yet mastered the "art of dressing up," so she will need you to guide her. Give her options, but in the end, allow her to select what she wants to wear. Too many choices will overwhelm her, so limit the choices to only two or three outfits. Give her options of what hair accessories she wants to pair her outfit with as well. Once she has chosen an outfit and hair accessories, lay the selected pieces neatly on a chair so she can easily reach them the next morning.

Poster Child

Make a "morning routine poster" that illustrates what she needs to do to get dressed everyday. Here's an idea: draw separate columns on a poster board and then sketch a picture of each clothing item. If you're not the artistic type, you can take snapshots of the clothing pieces and then tape them on the poster board. Put the drawings or snapshots in logical order for your child to follow. For example, the pink dress first, then the socks, then shoes, plus her favorite flower hair clip. Hang it in a spot where she can easily see it.

Early Birds

Since she is just beginning to learn how to dress up on her own, brace yourself for a little frustration and a little chaos. Wake up earlier to give your daughter extra time to get ready. Also, try not to step in too quickly to help her. Give her enough time to figure things out on her own.

Baby Steps

Start simple with clothes and hair accessories that are easy for her to put on. Garments with snaps, zippers and buttons might be complicated at first, since she is only beginning to gain control over her small muscles. Avoid them in the mean time. For example, it will be easier in the beginning for her to slip on pants with elastic waist bands or put headbands on her hair. She can graduate to more intricate clothing items once she starts getting the hang of it. The same goes for shoes. Opt for shoes with velcro straps and save the ones with shoelaces for when your child learns to dress herself without struggling.

Curb Criticism

It may seem simple, but learning to dress up on her own is challenging for a child. It won't make things any easier or simpler if you become critical. Saying things like "Your shirt is buttoned wrong" or "That's the wrong hair clip for that outfit" can devalue your child's efforts and reduce her self-esteem. Expect that there will be mistakes and imperfections. Gently guide her to correct these while offering plenty of encouragement and honest praise for her efforts.

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