How to teach a child to dress - working methods in an educational and playful way. How to teach a child to dress without assistance Dressing a child on their own

Morning has become one of the most stressful moments for me during the day.

At first, because our junior categorically does not want to get up on time (no matter how much he goes to bed).

And secondly, children dress for 30-40 minutes, and only after I stand next to them and adjust them every 2 minutes. Although I know for sure that they can easily get together in 10 minutes if desired. And they definitely know how to do it on their own, at least that's what the educators say.

This is despite the fact that our kids go to kindergarten with pleasure.

To teach children how to dress faster in the morning, I tried several methods:

1. Who gets up earlier ...

We started going to bed early (20.30), so I started waking them up earlier (6.30). Children had more time to dress on their own. But it turned out to be more difficult for me than for them.

To wake the children up early, I also had to get up early and prepare the necessary things, breakfast for my husband and get ready myself (and I really love to sleep).

And if the kids have already woken up, and I am still doing other things, they still will not start getting ready, but will wait for me to finish.

That's why it turned out to be not our option. Although we still started going to bed earlier (20.30), we left the ascent in the same place (7.00).

2. The "carrot and stick" method

My husband and I also decided to try this method. But morning punishments only led to endless tears and added a certain drive to the process of collecting in Kindergarten... Having tried it once, we decided to abandon this method and still start the day in a more positive way.

Read also: The six levels of attachment theory by Gordon Newfeld

"Gingerbread" did not work very well either. Our children love different sweets, and one candy cannot please everyone. Yes, and not always at home in the morning turned out to be "sweets". In addition, starting the morning with something tasty is not very right! That is why this method was not useful to us either.

3. "Who is faster"

At first glance, the ideal way. Whoever is faster is a good fellow. Children love to be praised, and they are ready to do a lot for this (even quickly get dressed in the winter on the street).

But for our weather, this method categorically did not fit. Both have a very competitive spirit (thanks to the kindergarten). And the most important thing in the competition is victory (and not participation, as many thought).

So if one of the children turned out to be faster (and this, as you understand, is inevitable), the loser would certainly start crying. So much so that I had to undress again and do everything so that this time he won.

As it turned out, this method did not speed up the dressing process in any way, but on the contrary increased it at least twice.

4. "Hint"

This is exactly the way we are currently using it. The idea, in general, is not new and, I think, many mothers use it.

I noticed that Alina often does not know what to wear next, therefore she stops or constantly asks. And in winter, it is quite difficult for children to remember what comes after what. And often kids get confused and refuse to dress themselves (so as not to make a mistake).

I made for my little ones a "Hint" - what to wear for what in winter! And the children began to play it with great interest. The "tip" is made on a regular A4 sheet, on which items of clothing are very schematically drawn in the desired sequence, connected by arrows.

At some point, parents start to think about how to teach a child to dress. After all, the skills that are so useful in life, the baby will have to master with the help of adults. This is not always an easy process, it often takes a long time, but the result is worth it. The main thing is to be patient so as not to discourage the child from learning.

When and where to start?

It is important not to waste time, because it is easier to do this when the child is interested himself. Somewhere in 2 years or a little later, he begins a period when he can only hear from him - "I myself." The toddler strives for independence, and if you support his initiative, then it will be much easier to teach him something.

Dressing and undressing for a baby are interrelated processes. But taking something off yourself is easier, so you can start with that. Already from a year and a half, it is worth offering to independently pull off a hat and socks. After two, the little ones are able to cope with other items of clothing. Parents should encourage even small achievements, praise him. When he starts to succeed, he will probably want to try and wear something on himself.

Parents will have to show a lot of patience. After all, at first it will be difficult for a child, it is not easy for naughty fingers to overcome the fasteners, he will do it very slowly. If you rush him, scold him for slowness, then dressing for the crumbs will begin to cause unpleasant associations and stress. In the future, he will try to simply avoid this by allowing adults to cope with the outfit. There is no need to rush to correct the suit, especially if the flaws are almost imperceptible.



Dressing is interesting

Of course, parents will have to help the child to turn the blouse from the inside out or fasten small buttons, but at the same time it is necessary to articulate their actions, explain how and what to do. To keep your toddler, who is only two to three years old, interested, it is best to choose something that is easy to put on. You can pull on your pants halfway so that the little one can continue. Perceiving this activity as a game, he will quickly get the hang of cope with more complex items of clothing.

A good example can be shown using toys. Children love to feed them, put them to bed, you can also dress up, especially dolls are suitable for this. Items that are intended for development are also useful. fine motor skills... For example, shops have a large selection of laces. You can do them yourself. Sew on Stuffed Toys and clothing buttons, laces and Velcro. Sew buttons of different sizes to a rag, make a loop in another - so the baby will have the opportunity to train and master a useful skill.

We must not forget about personal example. The child strives to be like adults. Watching how mom or dad dresses, he learns this himself. He will love dressing up in a race with his elders, choosing his wardrobe items from those laid out on the couch.

To maintain the interest of the crumbs, you can tell rhymes, sing funny songs, tell what interesting things await on the street. You can translate dressing into a play form. For example, imagine that the legs are trains and they need to enter tunnels (pants or tights). After putting on the blouse, you can clap your hands, when you pulled your pants on - stomp your feet.



Choosing simple clothes

It is important that the clothes intended for the baby are easy to put on. This is useful for those who are interested in how to teach a child to dress independently. At the age of 3, he is already able to pull on socks, pants, boots, take off a blouse or T-shirt, and open a zipper. But if the T-shirt has a narrow neck, then the child will have to make efforts that he is not yet capable of at two or three years old. Therefore, it should be free enough. This also applies to sweaters.

Also, the problem may arise with socks. Small items that fit neatly on a child's leg are difficult to put on with awkward handles. For this purpose, a larger size, with a loose elastic band, is better suited. You also need to choose the right shoes. The crumbs will not be able to unlace them or tie the laces. It is worth giving preference to shoes with Velcro: they simply open, and it is easy to put a foot in it. Pants should also be uncomplicated, with an elastic band. It is better to refuse overalls during this period, as well as dresses with a fastener on the back.



Explain how to dress properly

Explain how to put on things correctly. It is better to pull the trousers while sitting, and get up only after the legs appear from the trousers. When putting on the T-shirt, the top of the head must pass through the neckline, otherwise it can get stuck. Most likely, this will have to be repeated more than once.

Parents should take into account the opinion of their children about the choice of clothes, even very young ones, who are two or three years old. After all, it is much more pleasant to wear what you like, and such crumbs already have desires. You can offer yourself to choose an outfit for a walk. So that it turns out that the kid wants something out of season, it is better for parents to choose several options and show the child.

It often happens that the baby is confused in what order to put on the items of clothing. To make it easier for him to navigate, you can jointly make a poster: cut out suitable pictures from magazines and stick them on a sheet of Whatman paper. This will help the baby remember what to wear for what, and distinguishing the back from the front will not be difficult if the front is decorated with appliqué or noticeable pockets.



Parents should avoid mistakes

It's good when the baby's clothes are in the public domain and he can first just sort through and study them, and then try to pull on himself. The desire to try them on can also be caused by the things of the parents. They are easy to put on due to their large size, besides, this way the need to be like mom and dad is realized.

At four years old, children are able to completely undress, dress under the supervision of their elders, button and unfasten buttons. Even if the time for the first attempts at independence is missed, it will be somewhat more difficult to teach the child, but, of course, it is possible. Most children are able to dress completely independently by the age of five. By this age, as a rule, they are able to cope with laces.

Even when a baby can do a lot, he still needs support and praise. Parents in the learning process should not make the following mistakes.

  • It is not worth delaying the beginning of training, it is better to do this during the period of independence, which falls on two or three years.
  • If the baby has already learned to undress, then you should not stop there. This process is similar to dressing, so he needs to learn further.
  • You can't rush a child, even if it seems that he is barely fumbling, this can discourage him from all the desire for this activity. Better to get up a little earlier and calmly pack up.
  • There is no need to help the child if he is fighting with the fastener, if he does not ask for it himself.
  • When it is clear that something is difficult for a child, then you need to calmly explain to him how to do it correctly. In no case should you scold him, on the contrary, find something to praise for.
  • It must be remembered that children are better at accepting explanations in game form.

Children are able to quickly learn new skills. But they still need the help of their parents for this, who must patiently teach them everything they need. Therefore, adults should know how to teach a child to dress independently. By turning this process into a fun game, you can deal with an important stage in development.

How to cope with the wisdom of dressing so that children do not interfere with the actions of their parents, or even learn to dress on their own?

Sometimes the dressing process turns into a real battle. The child is spinning, turning inside out, capricious, trying to sneak away. How do you learn to get along with this process?

The child does not want to dress: what is the reason

The dressing process seems boring and tedious to the child. Small children are constantly in motion - bending, twisting, refusing to follow directions. Their interest quickly switches, they want to move and learn new things.

It's easier to deal with babies - put a bright toy next to it, and then hand it to the baby. A bright object will grab the baby's attention while you are changing the diaper. You can talk, sing, make unusual sounds, keeping the baby's attention.

Try not to make problems out of the dressing theme. As a child grows up, his progress periodically gives way to regression. Support the child's desire to act and remember that by the age of 5-6 he will be able to cope completely on his own.

How to teach a child to dress: the solution

The older the child gets, the more he can take over in the process of dressing. Learning to undress is easier for a child than dressing. Therefore, it is worth trying to master this skill first.

The most difficult thing is to learn how to fasten buttons, zippers, fasteners. It's best to train when you have enough time. Pay attention to individual operations, show how to defeat the buttons, and the child will start dressing with pleasure.

You will be surprised when a child dressing on his own suddenly starts to hesitate, hang up and refuses: “I don’t want to,” “Mom, dress me.” This happens when an interesting activity suddenly turns into a routine, becomes tiresome and boring. You can force it - and turn the game into a commitment.

Or you can meet halfway. If he's tired, naughty, or just wants you to take care of him. “Okay, let's play little. I will dress you and tell you how to do it right. " Or distribute tasks. Take the most difficult thing - a shirt and buttons, and invite your child to "overcome" the shoes. Remember, play brings back interest and the will to act.

And a few more tricky finds for parents:

  • Teach your child that there is a clear dressing algorithm. Draw a sequence with your child and teach him to refer to this pattern while dressing.
  • Encourage your child to pick out the things you think are appropriate for today's walk. This will interest him.
  • Buy things that are easy to put on.
  • Turn the process into a game: "Now let's dive into a sweater, close your eyes and hold your breath ..."
  • Turn the process into a competition: “Rather, we need to get dressed faster than Dad! Hurry up, he's already buttoning his shirt ... "," Can we get dressed while dad is counting to 10? "
  • Use the "bridge to the future" (forecasting, pointing to a "bright future") as a method of persuasion: "You need to get dressed quickly to go to the park / slide / toy store."
  • To get around the child's resistance, use the “choice-without-choice” technique: “What will you wear first - socks or a shirt?”, “Do you want to dress while standing or lying down?”

The older the baby becomes, the more problems in his upbringing parents have. For example, one of them is teaching a child how to dress independently. After all, the baby is already in early age must master this skill, and he cannot do without the help of adults. Therefore, parents are faced with the question of how to teach a child to dress independently at 3 years old. Experts remind that this process does not always happen easily and quickly, in most cases the training is delayed for a long time, but the result will certainly delight the parents and the little one. All that is needed is patience so as not to discourage him from dressing himself.

Step up the steps of learning

Parents often ask at what age should you start teaching your baby this skill? Educators remind that dressing and undressing are cultural and hygienic skills. They are the main and practically basic precisely at an early age. It should be borne in mind that already at the age of 2, children become curious and active. They are eager to help mom with housework, they want to dress up and do everything like adults. You should not interfere with the acquisition of knowledge, because it is at this age that you can begin to teach babies how to dress. At the same time, adults should understand that training should proceed gradually, taking into account age characteristics... Then the child will be interested, and the parents will not be a burden.

Important! If the crumbs can't get dressed yet, then they should help him unobtrusively and without irritation until the moment he starts crying. If the baby experiences negativity when dressing, then further learning will become almost impossible.

Teachers insist that it is imperative to teach a child at 3 years old to dress independently. It is at this age that children begin to attend kindergarten. At the age of three, we teach boys and girls to put on and take off pajamas, panties, skirts, pants and tights. In a team, the learning process will go much faster, because the kids strive to gain credibility with their peers and educators. If the parents do not intend to give the toddler to preschool, you still need to independently teach him the basics of dressing and undressing. At three years old, the baby should do this for his own convenience and comfort.

Important! Even if the child already knows a lot, he needs to be constantly praised, supported and encouraged to strive to further improve the skill.

The most common mistakes parents make when teaching

  • Parents are late in learning, it is better to start learning when they show independence, at about two years old.
  • Further training is ignored when adults see that the baby knows how to undress and dress.
  • You can't rush the baby, so as not to discourage him from doing something.
  • There is no need to provide help if the baby does not ask for it, it is better to explain in words or show by example how to do it right.
  • You cannot scold for failures, but be sure to praise for achievements.
  • Parents pay little attention to playful moments, meanwhile, children perceive learning better in the process of play.

Dressing Learning Calendar by Age

The teachers have developed an age calendar when a preschool child should be able to put on and take off some things on their own. The chart will help parents determine the level of development of the child and his / her self-care skills.

Age Independent action Adult help
2 years
  • Take off and put on: unbuttoned shoes, a hat, tights, shorts, pants, a skirt with an elastic band
Dressing takes place with the help of parents
3 years
  • Put on all clothes, fasten Velcro, zippers, buttons
  • Fold or hang clothes
  • Adjust your clothes throughout the day, take care of your appearance
A little help from parents
4 years
  • Undress and dress yourself in the correct sequence
  • Hang and fold clothes
  • Be able to keep track of your appearance
Helping parents to tie their shoelaces
5 years
  • Dress and undress
  • Tie shoelaces
  • Take care of clothes
  • Clean up the closet and shelves
Not required
6 years
  • Dress and undress quickly
  • Follow the appearance
  • Take care of clothes
  • To put things in order
Not required

Features of early learning

Learning to dress in the first year of life

When dressing very young children, it is imperative to comment on the actions, say the names of all elements of the wardrobe, describe their quality and properties. The parts of the child's body should be named: hand, leg; ask to give the pen of the little one, explain that you need to put it in the sleeve of the blouse. It does not matter at all whether the baby can do it or not, whether he can speak, everything is remembered in a passive dictionary.

Comments during dressing are divided into several stages:

  • Warn the baby about your actions;
  • Comment on actions and explain them;
  • Summarize when a result is achieved.

You should not demand from the crumbs only self-dressing, you should show how to do it correctly. In such difficult case games, joint actions with toddler will help. These may include helping to guide the baby's palms, demonstration on toys. As soon as it becomes clear that the child has begun to act and everything is working out for him, this becomes an additional incentive to continue studying. An adult can help only if the baby is having difficulties. If everything goes smoothly, then you should not discourage the child from independent actions. It is imperative to praise the baby for any achievements and successes.

Important! You can give your baby various items for the development of motor skills: buttons, lacing. Such manipulations help not only to develop logical thinking but also shape dressing skills.

We teach to dress at an early age of 1 - 3 years

After a year, the child is able to independently serve the adult with the necessary things, stretch out his hands when putting on a blouse or T-shirt, raise his head when putting on a hat. Be sure to continue to comment on all your actions, involve the child in a conversation with an adult. At a year and a half, the toddler is able to undress without the help of parents.

By the age of two, the baby raises two handles to put on a sweater or dress, puts his hands in the sleeves of a coat or jacket, legs in tights with the help of an adult, removes almost all elements of clothing. It is important for parents not to miss the moment when the little one begins to demand independent actions for himself, he wants to do everything himself. At this time, you need to start active learning, the process will be easy and interesting. Naturally, you need to acquire the most plain clothes... It should be done as soon as possible, then it will be possible to notice significant progress by the age of three.

When teaching dressing, you need to consider microprocesses. For example, up to three years old, a baby learns to put on specific items of clothing. He is not able to completely change clothes after waking up, but is able to pull on panties and tights, pants and socks without the help of adults. This is called microprocess mastery. Dressing completely for a walk is a holistic process, and putting on individual items of clothing is a micro-process.

How to avoid whims?

Teachers advise: the main thing is to dress without tears! Small children need to constantly move, they have a lot of unspent energy, they cannot sit in one place. As a result, dressing and undressing seems too tedious and boring for them. They twist, twist, refuse to obey adults and do not want to perform independent actions. If an adult is impatient, irritable, tears are inevitable. It is important to translate training into a playful form! For example, say that the pants are magic, the legs are like a train that moves through tunnels.

The little one can be distracted by bright toys that will surely attract his attention. At this moment, you need to talk, read rhymes and nursery rhymes in order to keep the attention of the crumbs.

It's not worth making a problem out of dressing. As the baby grows up, he seeks to do something on his own, he cannot constantly refuse to obey. At the age of 5 - 6, preschoolers will definitely learn to cope on their own.

How the child grows up is completely up to the parents. The ability to dress independently is not only a self-service process, but also crucial step into the future life.