Kids start to show an interest in getting dressed around age 2 ½ to 3, and while they do need your help with most tasks, there are skills they can practice along the way. For instance, if you gently slip a sock over your toddler’s heel, you can let her slide the rest of the sock up over her ankle. Or you can help her slip into a T-shirt but show (or help) her pull the shirt down over her tummy. It’s not until age 3 or 4 that kids’ motor skills sufficiently develop and they can start to put on some simpler items of clothing, such as an elastic-waist skirt or a T-shirt. Kids need adequate gross and fine motor skills to be able to dress themselves. Gross motor skills involve large muscles, such as those required to balance removing shoes and pants. Fine motor skills involve smaller muscle movements, such as those needed to manipulate buttons and zippers. Importantly, getting dressed requires the cognitive skills to understand the sequence of knowing when to put on which clothes and understanding when to wear certain types of clothes and how to dress appropriately for the weather. At around age 3 to 3 ½, some children can pull on shirts with little assistance, put on shoes (without fasteners), and slip into mittens. By age 4 many can manage large buttons and zippers.

Kids resist getting dressed for many reasons. They can’t reach their clothes, they don’t know what to wear, they feel overwhelmed, or they may be trying to assert their independence. Be patient. Provide praise and encouragement. You may get less resistance and better results if you tell your child exactly what you want her to do and then praise her effort, as opposed to telling her what you don’t want her to do and getting her upset or frustrated.