Fashion Unleashed: The Benefits of Letting Kids Choose Their Clothes

The journey of learning is never a straight path for little ones, and there are many opportunities to learn everyday skills - including getting dressed each morning. Beyond covering bodies and ensuring children are comfortable, fashion can be an important part of a child’s life. While clothing that is gentle on the skin and allows for ease of movement can create a positive daily experience that allows little ones to focus, fashion can provide fun outlets for creative exploration. A daily routine of getting dressed can not only promote problem solving, critical thinking and hand-eye coordination, but also independence, creativity, and self expression.

Children may take an interest in dressing themselves at 1-2 years old. While they may not be ready for zippers or snaps in these early stages, they’re often ready and willing to offer an opinionated suggestion on their wardrobe. Spark their interest with favorite colors, fun patterns, and offer plenty of praise and support.

Preschoolers are often ready to step up their fashion game and tackle tasks like pulling on pants and attempting buttons. At this stage, pants that are easy to pull on, like joggers, (especially for potty training!) and shirts with larger buttons are great options to support attempts at independence.

By the the time your little one is 5-6 years old, you could have a budding fashionista on your hands! At this stage fasteners like buttons, snaps and zippers are not quite the obstacles they once were, and your child may be ready take the lead in getting dressed each morning. 

Set your little one up for success with the following tips:

• Let you child choose from 2-3 options to promote pride in their decision making skills, while not overwhelming them. 
• Little ones may not always get it right - offer plenty of praise to keep them encouraged.
• Incorporate learning, such as numbers or colors, while getting dressed to create an educational experience: “Where are the blue pants?” “How many buttons does yellow shirt have?”
• Mix-and-match sets can help stretch your child’s wardrobe and encourage them to use critical thinking and creativity to create new ways to pair separates.

No matter what stage your child is in, allowing them the space to grow confident in their decision-making skills and sense of identity will ultimately aid them in many aspects of life outside the realm of fashion.