at what age do kids dress themselves?

[SoftFroggie]

Shocked by the getting dressed thread:
should my 2.5yr old DS be getting himself dressed? He can take OFF socks and trousers but not tops, but put nothing ON. Am I being behind in teaching him? Dressing times is such a battle for us, too.

My dd has been able to dress herself sice she was just 2 but ds was struggling when he started school at 4.

My ds is 2.2 and can put 2 socks on, both on his left foot. He can sometime put his slippers on.

My friend's little girl won't wear anything with buttons and sometimes spends all day in her pyjamas. She can dress herself. I think I'll stick as I am.

I reckon 4 for boys too

DS is 3.7 - he can get all his clothes off, and (only very recently) has mastered pulling on his pants, his trousers (takes ages) and a loose top but struggles with socks and anything 'tight' (vest/t-shirt). However, all that is very recent - I'd say only in the last couple of months.

I think they find taking things off easier than putting on

Dd at 3.5 is able to dress herself very well and has been doing ok with it for about a year now. Ds (also 3.5) is able to as well, but would FAR rather he was helped or let you do it for him, hmmm . Older dd (6yrs) is perfectly able.

Having said that, there are some things like tights which always cause problems! And although they can all DO it they often take ages and get distracted and need reminding to get a move on!

I'd reckon about 4.

IMHO, much earlier than you think. DDs can do it, but try telling that in the morning when you've just got their uniform from the dryer so it'll be all nice and warm, but they still ask to be dressed.

They do it at school, after PE, so I know it's possible ....

No chance with my two.

Message withdrawn

Yep - 4 year old ds1 can dress and undress himself competently, can't remember exactly when he could as its sort of crept up on us, but I don't think he could consistently at 3.

As with most developmental things, they get there when they get there - no point in pushing them before they're ready. Even now, there are days when ds1 would prefer help and other days when we get "NO... I want to do it MYSELF!"

Dd, 2 1/2 likes to have a go. If left completely unaided will put knickers on so that two legs are in one hole or the gusset bit is up by her hips. Trousers back to front with frequently two legs in one hole too. If I give her the things the right way round she can do it. She can take off socks, trousers and tops if loose. And if I put her top on over her head she can put her arms through the holes.

My DD, who will turn 3 in August, can put cardigans/jackets/coats, trousers & nappy/knickers on. She can (and does) take pretty much anything off.

DS is just 4 and can dress himself, but still struggles with fastenings etc. And T-shirts go on the wrong way round fairly often. That is a fairly recent development, mostly because I don't think he could be bothered until I started making him do it.

He's been undressing himself for well over a year (last summer he was a streaker extraordinaire in all sorts of embarrassing locations ).

Ds1 finally started dressing himself a few months after his 4th birthday. He was 3+ before he could undress himself.

Ds2 hates wearing clothes and so has been undressing himself completely since the age of about 12-13mths. He's 2.3yrs now and can get his feet into trousers when he wants to but as he dislikes wearing more than just a nappy he has no real incentive to do this.

Neither of my boys (now 3.7 and 6.8) had a clue about dressing themselves at 2, though DS2, who's a bit more practical (just a smidge...) was undressing earlier. Now DS2 can dress himself and for the first time ever put both socks on this morning! We haven't tried buttons yet.
DS1 was pretty slow with dressing (poor fine motor skills generally) but finally mastered socks at about 4.3 and buttons a little later. He can do zips now occasionally, but I don't see the point of introducing laces. Why set the boy up for failure?
IMO girls seem generally more interested in self-help stuff than boys, though of course there are exceptions. And plenty of children start reception struggling with buttons and socks, particularly the young 4s.

ds1 is 3.5 and can dress himself almost completely - not buttons or zips and often the wrong way round. But I do insist that he does it himself. Has only been able to for the last few months though - certainly couldn't put anything on at 2.5, iirc.

My ds2 was 2 in April and can put on jama trousers and yesterday (great excitement) put on his jama top apart from getting his head thru the hole.
I reckon that?s pretty good tho they do ask at 2yr check if they can put on an item of clothing. But it?s not necessarily expected.
DD is nearly 4 and has been dressing herself well for a good while, since age of 3+. Socks are still tricky but she mastered socks earlier this year.