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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

What Age to Dress Themselves

12 replies

RainbowFlowers · 31/12/2019 11:30

Hello, I'm just wondering by what age did your little ones start dressing themselves. I know they all develop in their own time but I would like to know the general range that they do.

I have given up on reading developmental stages online as I find them always unrealistic and make me worry!

My boy has just turned 3 and he needs looooads of encouragement and detailed instructions when learning something new. So if he's too young to do something it's hard to tell if he's really not ready for it or if he just needs more encouragement and/or better instructions from me.

At the mo he can pull his pants up and down to use the potty but that's about it.

It would be good to hear when your little one could dress themselves and how much encouraging and teaching you had to do.

Thanks

I know this is in the wrong topic but u
I don't know how to change it. I clicked on the new thread button when I was in the parenting topic.

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VashtaNerada · 31/12/2019 11:33

I would say at around three. Every child is different though. I teach Year One (5-6 year olds) and every year there’s a handful who don’t know how to take off their own jumper or do up their own shoes! As long as they can do it by the time they start school (presuming there are no additional needs) I think that’s fine.

VashtaNerada · 31/12/2019 11:33

(You can report your own post to get it moved to another topic btw)

Original poster

RainbowFlowers · 31/12/2019 16:48

Thank you! Yeah maybe he takes after me a little slow! I remember getting upset changing for PE if I was wearing a summer dress as I couldn't get that over my head without someone holding the short sleeve to help me. Ha! I think I'll just keep gradually showing him and encouraging him but know that we've got almost 2 years to get there.

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LouMumsnet · 31/12/2019 16:52

Hi, @RainbowFlowers - we're just bobbing on here to let you know that we're moving this over to the Parenting topic now. Thanks to @VashtaNerada for flagging up to us that you'd like it moved.

FairyJuice · 31/12/2019 16:54

Mine were able between 3-4 but even now 5yo ds needs a lot more nagging encouragement in the mornings than 4yo DD. My youngest is almost 3 and has started trying to dress herself and mostly needs help but the odd time gets it right

I do think that some things are more difficult than others to put on/remove, so if you want to encourage him, perhaps pick stuff that is easy to give him confidence that he can do it.

Pilot12 · 31/12/2019 16:54

I told my four year old to dress himself the other day and he did, got everything on the right way too. I had no idea he could do this, I've never asked him before!

Original poster

RainbowFlowers · 31/12/2019 19:09

Pilot oh that is tempting to just drop it for another year and then see if he can do it when hes older. But knowing the way he learns something tells me that wouldn't work for him.

OP posts:

Pilot12 · 31/12/2019 19:19

I think mine must have learned at nursery, they have a big dressing up box and if they want to go into the garden they're supposed to put on their own coat and wellies (he's not mastered the right feet yet in the footwear department).

Cremebrule · 01/01/2020 02:57

My 3 year old was doing some items before 2 but she’s a very independent little thing and was very particular over clothes from an early age so had an incentive to get it.i remember her being much earlier than some of her friends. She can do everything herself now but she often gets stuck taking tops off and we’ll still help with socks and tights as she struggles a bit more with those and gets annoyed despite being able to do it.

I wouldn’t worry as he’ll be old in the school year and will have lots of time to learn before he has to but dressing up clothes might be the way to get him to care.

AlessandraBumbrosio · 01/01/2020 03:00

Reliably? 7
Know how to pull a top on or leggings incorrectly and very slow? 3

Mylittlepony374 · 01/01/2020 03:04

My nearly 3 year old can dress herself from waist down, (trousers, knickers, socks, shoes) can put a jacket or zip up hoody on but needs help to get zip started. I have to help with everything above the waist.

Caterina99 · 01/01/2020 09:15

My DS is a June birthday. I think I started thinking about it in the January when he was 3.5 and he was pretty competent by the summer. The aim was to have him mostly independent by school starting.

At first he had to have everything laid out on the bed the right way round etc and be coached through it. We’re now at the stage, a year on, where he just goes and gets whatever out of his drawers and dresses himself. Only the occasional backwards top etc. We put stickers in his shoes to help him get them on the right feet

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