Encourage your toddler’s interest in dressing themselves, while helping them develop fine motor skills at the right stage of development.

Fine motor skills are developed when children use their thumbs, fingers, hands, and wrists to perform small and intricate movements. The act of dressing themselves allows toddlers to practice activities that will help them develop these skills.

This guide outlines clothing features that will help support your child as they learn to dress themselves between ages 18 to 48 months.

18 to 24 months

Signs of readiness for self-dressing

• Can easily grip and pull
• Your child may begin to pull loose clothing off

What to look for when buying clothing

• Clothing that can be removed easily
• You may always want to buy clothing that is difficult to remove if your child likes to undress themselves

24 to 36 months

Dressing skills to look for

• Finger dexterity, with ability to loop a large button through a hole
• Can begin removing tighter-fitting clothing
• Interest in and ability to take shoes off by themselves
• May want to help you dress themselves

What to look for when buying clothing

• Items with large, easy to grasp closures, like a big button or snap
• Shoes with Velcro straps

36 to 48 months

Dressing skills to look for

• Ability to dress self
• Can close a zipper with a large pull tab

What to look for when buying clothing

• Tops that fit easily over head and arms
• Pull-on, loose-fitting pants or skirts
• Basic closures

In addition to shopping for clothing that has these features, be sure that clothes are the in right size, for the right season, and are easily accessible to your child so that they can dress themselves appropriately.

You may also need to teach them basic skills that help them know the difference between front and back and right and left, or use cues, like an “X” or a dot on the back of a waist band or on the left shoe.