The ability to dress is a fundamental skill for children, but it can be challenging. Getting them to dress regularly can ease the process. Having your child dress on their own will help develop their cognitive abilities and boost self-esteem. Here is a list of the benefits of letting kids dress themselves.
Develops motor skills
Dressing your child involves almost all the muscles in their body. It improves their balance, agility, mobility, and strength.
Allowing kids to take on the daily task of dressing themselves provides them with the opportunity to practice a critical life skill every day. Zipping zip suits, buttoning buttons, and slipping socks require a great deal of endurance for tiny hands. The first time might be a little tough, but with practice, it gets easier!
Builds Confidence
Your kid’s feeling of accomplishment is unlike any other feeling you can imagine. Your child will feel a sense of accomplishment when he puts together an outfit on his own and this helps build confidence in them.
Make Mornings easier
You may find it challenging to get your kids out the door in the mornings. Making them wear an outfit you choose often gives them another reason to revolt and challenge your authority. By allowing your child to choose what to wear, you may avoid the morning chaos that bogs you down. In addition, toddlers who take an active role in their morning routine are more likely to gain confidence.
Promotes Independence
We as parents strive to cultivate independence in our younger ones. Allowing kids to pick out their own clothes and dress themselves, gives them a chance to practice crucial skills every day.
Enhances Creativity
Your kid’s choice of outfits gives them a chance to experiment with their creativity. Just think of what it would be like to wear the same boring outfit every day. Ugh! Let them pick their choice of baby dresses. You are helping their creative abilities blossom.
Teaching Kids to dress themselves
You cannot expect your toddler to get ready on their own. The process takes time, practice, and patience. Give yourself extra time in the morning and don’t get frustrated when your child takes longer to learn a skill than you think they should.
Dressing involves a lot of steps. Breaking it down into smaller steps may be helpful – for example, starting with clothing such as hats, caps, etc…
Tips on helping your children to dress
- To help your child get dressed, set a realistic time limit.
- Choosing clothes the night before will help you save time in the morning, especially if you are rushed.
- Make your child do the easy tasks when you are in a hurry and help him with the more difficult ones.
- Practice dressing for your child without being rushed or tired.
- Give your children the option of picking clothes. Children who are more mature may have the ability to pick their own clothes.
- You should instruct them to pick clothes in accordance with the season.
- It is important to show your child the difference between dirty and clean clothes. You can demonstrate this by wearing clean clothes every day and throwing dirty clothes into the laundry bin.
- You may also teach sustainability by dressing your kids in organic clothes.
- Store clothing in cabinets and drawers where your child can reach easily. Label clothing drawers accordingly.
- Put on clothes that will make it easy to figure out the front and back clues – in this case, a picture on the front and a tag on the back.
- Start by teaching how to undress as it is much easier than dressing. This will boost your child’s confidence and may make him eager to learn.
Author Bio:
I am Andrea Micheal, a post-graduate in humanities and communications, and an inquisitive person who loves writing. I’m working for Tiny Twig and my forte is digital marketing and everything that has to do with phones and screens. I am someone who believes that one person can make a change, and that’s precisely why I took up writing, which is the best tool to communicate these days. I have a decade of experience in writing and marketing, and I still find myself learning new things about it, which I want to share with my readers.