Help your little boy to dress himself by making sure his clothes don’t have tricky fastenings.

• Boys are usually slower than girls at learning to use the potty, so it is particularly important to avoid awkward fastenings on your little boy’s pants
• Look for adjustable straps on overalls, or add a button so the straps can be lengthened
• Pants with elastic waists are easiest but, if he has trousers with zippers, show him how to pull the zipper away from him as he closes it to prevent it from catching
• Show your little boy how to sit down to put his feet into his pants legs, then stand up to pull them up

Your little girl will try to dress herself now, so choose clothes that she can manage easily.

• Buy dresses with fastenings at the front; once that fasten at the back are too difficult for toddlers to manage
• Show her how to get her tights the right way around, and how to roll them up before she tries to put them on
• Avoid very fitted clothes; they don’t leave much room for growth

As your child becomes more involved in dressing herself, she will become more conscious of the clothes themselves. Babies are largely unaware of what they are wearing as long as it is comfortable and does not impede their activities, but toddlers gradually begin to notice the colors and type of clothing they put on, and your child may develop preferences. Clothes that seem similar to those worn by mommy or daddy might be especially attractive. The feel of a garment will also be important to her whether, for example, it is soft or itchy, tight or stretchy. If she takes a dislike to a garment, it may be because it doesn’t fit properly and is therefore uncomfortable to wear.

Your child’s concerns should be taken seriously when you are buying her clothing. Once your main requirements, which are practical ones – warmth, durability, washability, and cost – are met, there is no reason why you shouldn’t indulge her; the image of a favorite cartoon character or a particular color may be the deciding factor as far as she is concerned. Allowing her to choose which clothes to wear each day is also important. You may want her to wear long pants on a cold day, but let her choose which pair.

She may develop seemingly irrational likes or dislikes for certain items of clothing – insisting on wearing a particular T-shirt every day, for example, or refusing to wear the hand-knitted pullover that Granny gave her for her birthday. The easiest policy is to go along with these preferences as far as possible, though occasionally bribery, or at least negotiation, may be in order: you could offer a special treat in return for wearing that pullover on the afternoon that Granny comes to dinner.

Choosing fastenings

Until your child has enough dexterity to manage buttons and zippers, you need to choose clothes and shoes with manageable fastenings.

Shoes

Velcro fastenings rather than laces or buckles will allow your child to fasten his own shoes very easily.

As your child grows older, she’ll develop the coordination required to dress successfully. You should encourage her in her attempts at dressing or undressing, however slow or awkward – they’re a sign of growing independence and maturity. Learning to manage by herself will improve a child’s coordination and increase her confidence, so be patient with her first clumsy efforts.

Lay out your child’s clothes in such a way that she can maneuver them on easily. For instance, you could drape a cardigan on the back of a chair so that she just has to sit down and slide her arms into the sleeves. Let her do as much as she is capable of, and don’t step in to help unless it’s really necessary, though you will have to deal with most of the fastenings yourself until your child is old enough to manage them.

At 18 months she will already be trying to manage fastenings, and by two and a half she will be able to close a button in a loose buttonhole, and put on her own pants, T-shirt, and sweatshirt. By the age of four she will probably be able to dress or undress herself completely and will have enough dexterity to put her clothes away tidily. There are several things you can do to make getting dressed easier for your child.

• Teach her how to button from the bottom up.
• Sew large buttons onto a toddler’s clothes so that she can handle them easily.
• Velcro fastenings will be easy for her to manage, but don’t use them where they might chafe her skin.
• Buy pants with elastic waists to avoid zippers.
• Children find it difficult to put sweaters on the right way around, to explain to her that the label always goes at the back.

Dressing himself

By the age of three your toddler may be able to dress himself completely, though it will take him a long time. Allow him his independence, and don’t step in to help unless you’re really needed.

Room for growth

Loose-fitting clothes with adjustable fastenings are most suitable now that your child is growing fast.

Choose a sturdy leather pair for outdoor wear. Your child’s feet must be unrestricted but held firmly in place and unable to slip out. The toes shouldn’t curl up or hurt when he walks. Never buy secondhand shoes.

When you are buying your child shoes, always go to a reputable store where the staff has been trained to measure and fit children’s shoes. The salesperson should measure the length and the width of your child’s foot before trying any shoes. Once your child tries on a pair of shoes, the salesperson should press the joints of the foot to make sure that it is not restricted in any way, and that the fastenings hold the shoe firmly in place and don’t let your child’s foot slip around. Make sure your child stands up and walks around in the shoes to check that the toe doesn’t pinch and hurt when he’s walking and to double-check that there’s no slipping.

A sturdy, well-made pair of leather shoes is most suitable of general outdoor wear, especially once your child starts running and playing. You should, however, get a pair if rubber boots for wet or muddy conditions. Although leather shoes and sandals are solid and sensible and last well, there is nothing wrong with inexpensive canvas shoes or sneakers as long as you make sure that they fit properly. If your child suddenly becomes less steady on his feet it may be a sign that he is outgrowing his shoes. Well-fitting shoes are essential to ensure that your child has good feet in adult life. Don’t try to save money by buying second-hand shoes; they will have molded to the first owner’s feet.

Choose clothes that leave your little boy room for growth and allow him to move freely.

• Always put a hat on your little boy of he’s out in the sun. Baseball caps worn back to front protect the nape of the neck
• Buy outdoor clothes on the large side. This leaves room for extra layers underneath, and allows the child to grow into them
• Cut the sleeves off an outgrown jacket to make an outdoor vest.

Your little girl is more active now, so she won’t always be bundled up when she’s outdoors. Look for outdoor clothes that are comfortable and won’t restrict her movements.

• Heavy tights are warm and comfortable, and can be bought on colors and patterns to match your daughter’s dress
• In very cold weather, a short cape over your little girl’s coat will keep her extra warm
• Mittens can be clipped to sleeves or joined with a ribbon and slipped through the sleeves
• Sun hats are not just pretty; they are essential if your child spends any length of time in the sunshine.

Now that your baby is more active, you will need to look for clothes that allow easy movement. He will be awake longer, and moving around, so his clothes are more likely to get dirty and you’ll therefore need more of them. You’ll also have to consider whether they are tough enough for the wear and tear that your child will give them: look for sturdy fabrics that last well and strong fastenings that won’t break or fall off. If your baby is crawling, make sure his clothes protect his knees. Once he begins to walk he’ll need shoes.

When you’re buying clothes, check the label to see what kind of material they are made from. Natural fibers are both strong and comfortable, so look for pure cotton or a fabric with a high cotton content. Toweling, denim, and corduroy are all strong and hardwearing. Look, too, for clothes that can be easily pulled down or up once your child is learning how to use the potty, and avoid zippers or complicated fastenings; elastic waists are by far the easiest for him to manage.

Until he’s walking, socks or woolen bootees are all your baby needs, even when he’s crawling. Fabric bootees with elastic at the ankles stay on better. Ensure there’s plenty of room for movement; the bones in your baby’s feet are so soft and pliable that even tightly fitting socks could misshape the toes if worn regularly.

Once your baby has learned to crawl he’ll be far less willing to sit or lie still while you dress him. On the other hand, he is now much more able to help you as you put on his clothes. For example, an 11 month old baby can make a fist or stretch out an arm, if you ask him to, or hold his arm still while you pull his sleeve into place. If he’s very restless you can sing a song to him or engage his attention with a toy, or involve him in the whole dressing process by naming each item of clothing as you put it on or take it off, and getting him to repeat the names after you, for example. You could also turn dressing into a peek-a-boo game: “Where’s baby’s foot? Oh, look, here it is!”

Here are some tips for dressing your baby if it’s difficult to get him to hold still:

• Stand him between your legs so that he’s immobilized while you pull up his pants.
• Sit him in his high chair so that you can put on his shoes.
• You can make a game out of putting on his shoes by placing them at the bottom of the stairs and getting him to step down into them carefully while you steady him.