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Learning how to get dressed is an essential life skill, but very few of us as adults can probably remember how we were taught. It’s easy to forget that something we do without thinking is, for children, a task full of tiny, complex steps. Getting dressed takes focus, patience, and a surprising number of skills.
There’s no one-size-fits-all method either. Some little ones fly through the process, while others need a bit more time and support – and that’s perfectly okay.Teaching little ones how to get dressed isn’t just about clothes. It’s about building confidence, independence, and giving them space to grow into their own personalities – one zip, sock, and sleeve at a time. I
Below, we’ve pulled together a series of practical tips and insights to help guide you teach your child how to get dressed.
Helping your child master this skill comes with so many benefits! From boosting confidence to cutting down on morning chaos, here’s what dressing themselves can help your child develop:
Dressing yourself is a complicated skill that needs to be learned and it’s often one of the biggest tasks that young children start to complete, with lots of different elements involved. It’s a simple act – but it signals independence and trust in their abilities.
Getting dressed takes gross motor skills, like balancing while pulling on trouser legs, as well as fine motor skills needed for things like doing up buttons and using zips.
Whether it’s aiming arms through sleeves or lining up velcro straps, getting dressed takes hand-eye coordination, so learning how to put on and take off different items helps to grow their coordination with every attempt.
Getting dressed can be a complicated business for little ones, as it takes concentration, as well as remembering the order that clothes need to be put on and which of their body parts need to move to get into and out of certain items of clothing.
Naming clothes, describing textures and talking about colours can help expand their vocabulary and how they articulate themselves.
Dressing appropriately for certain weather conditions or a variety of different activities and occasions can help children gain a better understanding of the world around them.
From twisted jumpers to inside-out leggings, getting dressed throws up lots of tiny hurdles. Learning how to solve these issues will help develop their ability to think about and find solutions to problems they face.
When young children are learning how to use the potty and toilet, being able to manage trousers and pants can help them have fewer accidents, which helps to set them up for success.
Many children find the process of being dressed quite a frustrating process (they often want to be off and doing things instead) but dressing themselves gives them control,when they successfully learn how to do it themselves, it puts them in control, which can help reduce that frustration.
Let’s not forget that a child learning how to dress themselves is also beneficial for parents and carers too, it’s one less thing they have to do. Yes please!
Every child is different. Some will be keen from day one. Others might take a bit of coaxing and possibly bribery (no judgement here!). These tips can be adapted to suit your little one’s pace and personality:
It’s never too early to start getting your child used to what you call different types of clothing and doing a live commentary such as “Let’s pop on your cosy jumper!”, as you dress and undress your little one,, helps build understanding.
As any parent will know, babies and toddlers seem to find it way too easy to take off things like socks and hats (usually in the most inconvenient places and times!) So it’s no surprise to know that taking items of clothing off is typically easier than putting them on.
This can be a good place to start so you can begin by helping them learn how to get undressed before you start to tackle putting clothing on.
Many children will feel more involved and engaged with the process of getting dressed if they can choose what they wear. For younger children, it might be offering them the choice of two different t-shirts and for slightly older children, they may be able to pick their whole outfit.
This will depend on things like the weather and the nature of the activities they will be doing that day, of course. Enabling your little one to express themselves through clothing choices can often have some fun results too!
Starting off with clothes that have elastic waistbands, velcro shoes, and minimal fastenings, can be a great introduction to getting dressed, before moving onto more complicated clothing (like buckles and buttons) once they have mastered the simpler ones.
Some children learn how to get dressed more easily by doing the last step first, this is called backwards chaining. This involves letting your child complete the final step of a task, then slowly introducing earlier steps.
For example, the first thing they might learn is how to pull up their sock when it is already on their foot, then next they learn how to put it onto their foot, then how to make sure it’s the right way round, then how to pick up a pair of socks and put them on by themselves.
This can work really well because the most rewarding part of getting dressed is getting the item of clothing on, so your little one gets this reward really quickly when the task is new to them, which can help reduce frustration.
To a young child, getting fully dressed is a lot to remember – pants, t-shirt, trousers, socks, shoes. So it can often help to break it down further for them, which also helps them remember to put things on in the right order.
For example, they can learn to put on underwear first, then a top or dress, then shorts, bottoms or a skirt, then socks or tights and finally shoes. Each item of clothing can have its own steps to learn, so just tackle one thing at a time and give as much help as needed.
Every parent will know the frustration of trying to get everyone up and out of the door on time, so saving the first few sessions of learning how to get dressed for a day when there isn’t a rush will be much better and less stressful for all! You can choose clothes the night before to help speed things up a little.
Taking things at your child’s pace and giving lots of praise and verbal support is important to make sure that getting dressed is a positive experience. After all, praise builds confidence, even if the trousers end up on backwards. Think about using songs, dressing-up games, or mirrors to make the experience more engaging. The sillier the better sometimes!
Many toddlers, especially if they attend nursery or other kinds of daycare activities, will typically be fully dressed when they arrive, but will need to take off and put on their jacket or coat several times during the day.
If they are enjoying outdoor play, they’ll need to wear their coat at certain times of the year or if it is raining outside, then take it off again when they get indoors. This is why teaching a young child how to put on and take off their coat themselves is often the first thing that is taught about getting dressed.
Teaching your little one how to put their arms into the right places in their jacket will be a big step forward, even if they then need help from an adult to do up the fastenings.
Every child deserves to feel proud of what they can do. For children with additional needs or disabilities, learning to get dressed may take more time – or need a different approach. Some children may experience sensory sensitivities. Others might have motor difficulties that make some movements tricky. You might notice that they need more repetition or support to understand steps.
If you’re unsure where to start, speak to your GP or health visitor. They may refer you to an occupational therapist (OT) who can provide personalised advice and tools. Some local authorities also offer specialist support for families of children with SEND, so you’re never alone in this.
At Kids Planet, we’re here to help your child discover so much more than just how to put on a coat. We’re passionate about supporting essential life skills through play, encouragement, and care that’s rooted in understanding every child as an individual.
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