5 ways to encourage your child to dress themselves

It’s 7am, and in between running around preparing packed lunches to giving yourself time to actually brush your hair or your hair wigs, you also have the task of getting your little one dressed. Independent dressing is an important learning curve in a child’s development, helping them grow and develop while also giving you some extra time and freedom. Help make the process smoother with these easy tips!

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Make it a game

Many children can become irritable during dressing, adding extra time onto your morning that you just don’t have. Make morning’s easier by turning dress-time into a game to help encourage your child to participate. Teach them how to properly put on their clothing, and then set a time limit for it to be done in. The thrill of winning the game should make your child get dressed much quicker, and associate dressing as a fun part of the day. 

Give them time to practice

Learning to get dressed is a tricky process for a child, so allow extra time in the morning’s for some trial and error. Focus on tricky areas like putting on shoes and buttoning up shirts, and keep the mood relaxed, letting them know there’s no need to rush. Before you know it they’ll be able to dress themselves unsupervised, giving you more time to enjoy that second morning coffee! 

Offer fun clothing

If your little one has a hissy fit every time they get dressed, perhaps it’s the clothing choices on offer that they’re unhappy with. Introduce a fun element to your child’s wardrobe with bright garments, quirky patterns and clothing that reflects their hobbies and interests. Many brands of kids designer clothes offer garments in eye-catching designs which are perfect for something extra special. While you don’t want them running around in a superhero costume on a day to day basis, one little superman logo couldn’t hurt if it makes life easier, right? 

Let them choose

Letting your child choose what to wear and dress themselves is an important step in giving them more independence and can be great for their confidence and self-esteem. Provide some suitable options for the weather or occasion, and let them pick out their outfit for the day. 

Reinforce their choices

Once your child has chosen an outfit and successfully got dressed, make sure to congratulate them and compliment their choice. Even if you think an all pink dress with glitter trainers could have gone amiss for a trip to the supermarket, let your little one know how proud of them you are all the same. Telling your child off in any way could knock their confidence and discourage them from dressing themselves in the future.

Do you know any more ways to make your child more likely to dress themselves? Let us know in the comments below.

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1 Comment

  1. July 19, 2017 / 6:03 pm

    There are some great tips and ideas here, I always say reward good wanted behaviour and this could be applied to encouraging your child to dress themselves

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