How to Teach 3 Year Old Who Can’t Dress Himself

It’s fun to dress up your kid for special occasions. For formal events, suits and dresses are perfect. Pair it with the right shoes, your kids and the people around them will love your children. But dressing up is not only a great way to have fun with your kids, but it’s also an excellent way to develop them. 

Dressing up can have many positive effects on your kids, other than looking good. As such, you want to teach them as early as possible. But how can you tell if they’re ready to learn? And if you have a three-year-old toddler, how can you teach them to dress and undress?

Dressing Skills by Age

Depending on the age of your kids, they should be able to do some dressing up and undressing by themselves. Below is a list of what to expect of your kids at different ages. This will help you whether they’re ready to learn some dressing skills. 

• 1 Years Old – During their first year, a child should be able to pull off socks and remove socks. During this time, they can also push their arms and legs through the holes of the clothes.
• 2 Years Old – By two years old, they should be able to assist you in pulling down their pants and shorts. It’s also the time where they are easier to assist in wearing shirts. During these years, they should also be able to remove unfastened jackets and untied shoes. 
• 2.5 Years Old – By this stage, parents should help kids learn how to undress themselves. Children should have an easier time removing elastic band pants and shorts. Some kids will also be able to unbutton big-buttoned shirts.
• 3 Years Old – During the third year, they should start to learn how to wear socks and shoes. They also slowly learn how to pull their pants up with little assistance. By this time, you can also teach them how to wear t-shirts with some help. 
• 4 – 5 Years Old – By this time, your kids will now have the ability to distinguish the front and backs of clothing. It’s the perfect time to train them to dress and undress all by themselves.

Depending on the age of your kids, there are appropriate dressing skills that they can and should learn. However, keep in mind that not all kids are equal. While these are the general guide, some may learn earlier while others may take more time.

Teaching a 3-Year Old

As previously mentioned, at three years old, your kids should start learning how to wear socks and shoes. They should also be familiar with how to dress and undress. But the question is, how can you teach your kids to do it? 

• Make Learning Fun – The best way to teach your kids is to make the learning process enjoyable. You can play dress-up so they can have experience with dressing up. You can play with toys and paper toys, which can help them become more familiar with clothing. 
• Make it Easy First – It’s important to start easy first. Instead of their normal clothes, you can use clothes with large necks and armholes. Clothing with large zippers and buttons will also help.
• Teaching Them Put on Clothes – When teaching your kids how to put on shirts, it’s crucial to make them understand the process first. After that, you need to show how it’s done. Do this by sitting directly behind your kids and using a practice material, which can be a stuffed toy or a doll. Once mastered, you can show them how to do it while facing them. When doing it by themselves, especially for the pants, you may still need to assist them.
• Putting on Socks and Shoes – When teaching your kids when putting shoes and socks, it’s important that they already mastered how to remove them first. Using bigger shoes can speed up their learning process. If your kids are having a hard time putting on or off their socks and shoes, you can have them sit on the last step of the stairs. By doing this, it’ll be easier for them to reach their feet. 
• Be Patient – This goes without saying, always be encouraging and supportive of your kids. When your kids are struggling, encourage as much as you can before helping them. In time, they’ll learn how to dress all by themselves.