"Get Yourself Dressed!"

Total Pediatrics Dressing Skills Therapy

How often have we frantically shouted those words to our children as we rush to get out the door in the morning? What seems to the parent to be a simple instruction to put on your clothes may seem to the child like an instruction manual written in Greek. Dressing seems to be a simple task, but it actually requires several skill sets, working seamlessly with one another in order to accomplish the goal. Dressing requires fine motor skills, gross motor skills, postural stability, motor planning, bilateral coordination, body awareness, left-right discrimination, and sequencing skills.

Understandably, parents aren’t always sure what ages they should expect these skills to emerge and develop; that’s why Total Pediatrics is here to help. Use the following information as an informal screen for your child. If one or two of these skills don’t appear on the exact birthday of the appropriate year, there’s no need to be nervous or anxious. Children are complex little beings, no two of which are exactly the same. If your child is not yet engaging in these self-care tasks or you feel as if something is not quite right, give Total Pediatrics a call at (606) 679-1761 or email us at info@totalrehabcenter.com. We love working with families to make the hectic morning routine a bit less…well…hectic.

1 Year:

  • Pulls off socks
  • Pulls off shoes
  • Extends arms and legs to push through clothing

2 Years:

  • Guides arms through sleeves of pullover shirts
  • Aids in removing pants
  • Removes unfastened coat, jacket, other front-closing clothes

2.5 Years:

  • Pulls down pants with no fasteners (sweat pants, etc.)
  • Able to manipulate oversized buttons
  • Puts on open front shirt or jacket

3 Years:

  • Puts on socks and shoes (might be the wrong feet or socks upside down)
  • Puts on pullover shirts with some help
  • Buttons large buttons
  • Pulls down pants
  • Zips and unzips with help to place on track

3.5 Years:

  • Identifies front of clothing
  • Snaps fasteners
  • Unbuckles belt
  • Buttons 3-4 buttons at a time
  • Unzips jacket zipper

4 Years:

  • Removes pull over shirts without help
  • Buckles belt
  • Zips jacket
  • Puts on socks correctly
  • Identifies front and back of clothing

5 Years:

  • Dresses alone
  • Ties and unties knots

6 Years:

  • Ties bows and shoelaces

 

Shepherd, J. (2010). Activities of daily living and adaptations for independent living. In J. Case-Smith, (Ed.), Occupational therapy for children (5th ed., p., 501). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.