How to teach toddlers to dress themselves

Getting your toddler dressed in the morning is no easy feat, especially when they are learning how to dress.

In fact, let's face it, it can often become quite a battle, especially on those busy mornings when you just need to get out of the door! So if the thought of your toddler dressing themselves is enough to make you want to pull out your hair, fear not.

Here are our top tips to make things a little easier. You're welcome. ;-)

Start with shoes and hats

Most toddlers start asserting their fashion / clothing independence by playing with shoes and hats. Whether that means taking them off or trying to put them back on. But as frustrating as it can be, let them play. It's all part of them learning to dress themselves.

Make it easy

Put the complicated dresses and tricky dungarees to one side and concentrate on simple, loose clothing like T-shirts, jumpers and pull up trousers. Encourage your child by showing him or her how to put an item on or start by half dressing them, leaving them to finish off putting it on by themselves.

Use role play

Children learn by playing so use this to your advantage and give them a doll or teddy that they can dress with items that include zips, buttons and bows. This will help them to practice and encourage their creativity too.

They choose or you choose

When it comes to 'what' they wear you have two choices. Either they choose or you do. 

You may decide for example that during the week when time is off the essence that you always decide what they wear because it's quicker, but that over the weekend, they can have creative reign! 

(Warning - your toddler's idea of a stylish outfit may not be your own!)

If you are deciding what they wear, laying the outfit out in advance will help them understand that this is what they are wearing on any given day. 

And if they're picking their own outfit out, placing a few selected items - that you would be happy for them to wear - in a drawer or box that they can easily access can help to make life a little easier too.

Let them 'dress up' 

Kids love to dress up so let them! Ok, so you might not want them to wear their pirate costume every single day for a week, but hey, if you can't take a trip to the local supermarket dressed as a young Jack Sparrow when you're three years old, when can you?

Be patient

Easier said than done sometimes we know, but when it comes to toddlers, practice makes perfect. So hang on in there. It will get easier. And remember, the next time you'll probably be fretting over your child's outfit is when he or she is in their teens!

With love,

The Yellow Mellon Team

x

P.S If you've got any brilliant tips on how to help toddlers learn how to dress, don't forget you can share them with us on Facebook and Twitter!