At what age could your DC dress themselves?

[Bibbidybobbidyroo]

DD is 3.5 and I still largely dress and undress her.

What age should they be able to independently do this?

It feels miles away for us - she can take her clothes off but cannot get them on by herself, she could not put on her own shoes, or do a button or zip.

I brought some dress up clothes a few sizes up for her to practice but she has little interest.

Mine all could at that age - youngest has just tuned 4 - but my eldest still can't tie her shoelaces at 9...

Does she go to nursery? I'd say definitely by the time she starts reception unless any additional needs is usual

(Nursery normally teach them the "how pre-schoolers put on coats" trick - putting it on the floor and flinging it over their heads!)

At 3 if your child doesn't have any SEN then they should be able to put on and take of clothes without lots of buttons.

Doesn't mean they won't look silly or put on their clothes wrong.

This is also one reason why young children should play dress up.

DTs were VERY independent about getting themselves dressed from about 2.5, things were often inside out / back to front but i let them get on with it.

School though, I dressed them until part way through Y1, it was much less stressful!

My DD could dress herself with most things at 3.5 but not buttons or zips that you have to join up (eg half zip on jumper or boots ok but not a coat).

She is 4 now and still can’t do buttons. She sometimes struggles getting tight tops off but can put everything on ok. But she gets up to an alarm on weekdays, has a wee and gets herself dressed.

It will come. Our nursery has encouraged it which helps.

By the time they go to school is normal.

All of them at slightly different times.
It also depended what clothes, and what buttons.
Generally they could all get undressed when they were still 1 if the clothes were soft.
But getting dressed took longer - pull on clothes like loose tops and dresses and tracksuit bottoms by about 3 and then jeans and shirts with buttons or dungarees with straps took a bit longer and one was still getting stuck doing tights at 5.

I'd prioritise stuff like putting on coats and easy shoes- things that she will need to do in nursery. Other stuff will come in time when they have better balance and longer arms

DD is 9 and can now get dressed with no help (except for laces). She could do most things by 3 but there's no more being tangled up, having jeans stuck or socks the wrong way round or something thank god 😂

DS (just turned 4) can but it takes an age and more often than not, something is wrong e.g. t shirt the wrong way round or shoes on wrong feet

They need to be able to before school starts for PE and forest school. My 2 year can but I think her older sister was 3 before she could.

@Bibbidybobbidyroo thanks for the thread I can relate and has reminded me I need to be more insistent that my 3.5 tries himself as is also reluctant to put on (fine with taking off).