Toddler Week 60

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Getting Dressed

A two year old loves to gain independence, have you noticed that?But don’t expect too much when it comes to getting dressed from your little Miss Independent.  At this age, pulling her pants down and taking her shirt off are self-help skills that she will be able to do on her own. Getting dressed is the difficult part – well into her second year she will be able to get her shoes and she knows that they go on her feet, but you will have to help her with the shoe and the foot it goes on.  A shoe with velcro is a good choice because your child will not be able to tie laces yet, but will be more successful with fastening.

While you are helping your toddler get dressed, discuss her the process by labeling each item that she will put on and which body part it will go over.For example, when you are teaching her about how to put on her own shirt, point out that it gets pulled over her head and if it has a picture on it, show her that it is on the front of the shirt and it goes on her belly!  Show your little one that the tag of the shirt goes on the back, near her neck. 

The same goes for pants, which go over the legs and the button and zipper belong in the front. The tag, again, goes in the back!  Try sitting or kneeling behind your child (with your chest to her back) when you are helping her dress because she will be able to see the process from her perspective. 

Just think about all the vocabulary and body part knowledge you are reinforcing with these kinds of lessons!  Even if she can’t dress by herself, these interactions between the two of you will give her directional language such as front, back, behind, up, pull, push, etc.  Interacting with your child in these kids of meaningful moments takes the initial goal of the activity into so many directions.

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