Learning the Basics of Zippers, Laces, etc.

[Abigail]

I read a post about children who let the mom/dad do everything for dressing and got to thinking. I know we can offer lacing activities and toys that have a zipper to play with, but WHAT IF we created a low-level "try it yourself" bulletin board and had it out all the time on the wall with buttons, zippers, and some lacing strings?

I would have to get extra creative to know how to accomplish this, but I know I could use a jacket. Cut 2 lines through the "board or foam board" going up and down the length needed to get the jacket through. The back of the jacket would be through the board and the board would be screwed into the wall instead of hung by a nail so it's firm again the wall. The jacket then would have both front sides showing through the board and would be able to be zipped up "through" the bulletin board and wouldn't fall off. It's just an idea, but I think it is creative. I'm not sure how to go about the lacing, but the same concept would be used for a jacket with buttons, snaps, or a zipper.

[SilverSabre25]

Dressing frames! They're a Montessori invention. You can buy them, or you can make them yourself. Google "homemade dressing frames" and you should be able to find several suggestions. Most of them involve thrifted or $1 store wooden picture frames and second-hand baby clothes with different kinds of closures and fasteners: snaps, zippers, buttons, bow tying, lacing, safety pins.

[nannyde]

We don't teach them that here. We just do it for them until they are old enough to naturally do it themselves. Our winter gear is layered and cumbersome so it really takes an adult to get it on them.

They all can undress themselves when they arrive at a pretty early age. It takes very little for a kid to undo something. We get their stuff off right when they walk in the door while I'm visiting with the parent at drop off. When they leave we just want to get it on them quickly so they can get upstairs and out the door. It's something they learn at home.

I'm always interested in hearing about providers who have kids dress themselves because I've never even thought about it here. I pay a staff assistant and it is cheaper to have her just do it then supervise it, teach it, and check it when they are done. We don't do shoe learning here either. That's something they do at home too.

I've never taught a kid how to put on a coat, shoes, hat, or anything. We just do it for them until they say they want to do it and can do it easily. If they struggle at all and it's holding up getting them out the door then we take over.

I've never considered day care as being a place of learning self help skills. They really learn most of what they can do for themselves at home with their parents. It's nice because the parent gets the experience teaching them and watching their firsts. The kid takes over whatever self help skill they have learned at home here when they are accomplished at it and it's less staff time to have them do it themselves then it is to have the staff assistant teach and supervise.

[countrymom]

unfortantualy, nannyde, many many parents don't teach their children the basic skills so when I need to go out I'm dressing 5 and 6 yr old children who can't put their coats on or put their shoes on because their parents do everything for them.
I don't care if what the parents experience, if the parents want to experience firsts, then they should stay home and become sahp.
also, I have kids who have very poor finger co ordination that they are now going for therapy and this all boils down to parents not allowing their children to do things except to sit and watch tv.

[nannyde]

unfortantualy, nannyde, many many parents don't teach their children the basic skills so when I need to go out I'm dressing 5 and 6 yr old children who can't put their coats on or put their shoes on because their parents do everything for them.
I don't care if what the parents experience, if the parents want to experience firsts, then they should stay home and become sahp.
also, I have kids who have very poor finger co ordination that they are now going for therapy and this all boils down to parents not allowing their children to do things except to sit and watch tv.

I only have kid to age five so it really isn't an issue here at all. We take eight kids out and dress all of them. The winter gear is hard for us so we don't expect the kids to do it. The spring/fall gear is easier and they are welcome to have at it but only if it doesn't hold up the show. Being outside is more important to me than them being able to put shoes on. They will learn that stuff at home and in their own family time.

I agree with you that TV/screen time is a VERY serious problem with todays parenting. I think you are right that it affects kids down to really core developmental skills. I don't think however, that this has anything to do with child care. I don't think providers need to get involved in that cycle UNLESS it helps the provider in the care of the kids. In your case it does. In my case it doesn't.

[Abigail]

Dressing frames! They're a Montessori invention. You can buy them, or you can make them yourself. Google "homemade dressing frames" and you should be able to find several suggestions. Most of them involve thrifted or $1 store wooden picture frames and second-hand baby clothes with different kinds of closures and fasteners: snaps, zippers, buttons, bow tying, lacing, safety pins.

You mean I didn't think of this first? Dang, . I'll go google it now. I think it would be a unique thing to have on the wall space available because "at home" walls would never have such an item.

I googled them and really only found "pre-made" ready to purchase items or actual picture frames with the item around it. I might have to ask someone who can sew to make something and I will supply all the materials. I also got a new idea to sew things onto pillows so they can grab a pillow and work on buttons, zippers, snaps, buckles, etc. Thanks so much! I'll keep an eye out for the "scraps" and rummage sale items to make this.

[SunflowerMama]

I also got a new idea to sew things onto pillows so they can grab a pillow and work on buttons, zippers, snaps, buckles, etc. Thanks so much! I'll keep an eye out for the "scraps" and rummage sale items to make this.

This is a great idea!! I've been looking at those dressing frames too but putting them on pillows would probably be less expensive and more comfortable for them to just grab and practice with.

[Abigail]

I'm going to put them on small pillows that I might have someone make "fresh" just because I'm not a fan of used pillows.

They can easily be tossed into a basket or put in the reading area since they're soft items.

[spud912]

I have a Melissa and Doug "puzzle" that has snaps, buttons, lacing/tying thread, belt buckles, etc. I give it to the children to play with during "school time." I would have it out at other times as well but I don't want to lose pieces and my daughter has a temper tantrum whenever she gets a hold of it (she is 22 months old and gets very frustrated when she can't do everything perfect).

[nannyde]

I also got a new idea to sew things onto pillows so they can grab a pillow and work on buttons, zippers, snaps, buckles, etc. Thanks so much! I'll keep an eye out for the "scraps" and rummage sale items to make this.

Word of caution:

A toy like this can cause a lot of conflict in the group. Having a toy that is designed to be "undone" and then "done" will lead the kids to rush it and do the "undone" part. Once they have the high stimulation of being able to "take apart or undo" something it will often lead them to not wanting anything else to do with the toy.

It can lead to competition of who gets to undo as soon as they get to it. It can easily become a fight toy before it's undone and then be left when the only thing to do with it is to "do". The buckles (meaning buckles like car seat buckles, high chair buckles) will be something they will try to redo because they get a lot of experience at home snapping and unsnapping them.

The buttons, zippers, ties, belt buckles, etc. won't be an easy thing for them to do so after the experience of being able to quickly and easily tear apart they will loose the interest to "do" them back up.

The ability to take apart comes really young.... under the age of two with zippers, snaps, laces, buckles. After that, they really don't need practice undoing.

If I were to have a toy like that I would be the one undoing it and their play would be doing it. For the over two crowd, I wouldn't have a toy that can be taken apart that's intention is to put it back. They will only be interested in doing the take a part by themselves and the "put it back" will either be abandoned or the child will want this as a time to have high adult involvement to get them to do it to completion.

Be careful what you ask for.. for you shall surely get it. If you work hard at getting them to undo and redo common items that are on their clothing and equipment you will see that they will use that at times when you don't want them to. Don't be surprised if you walk into the room after nap and see that they have undressed themselves and undone whatever they are sleeping in as far as they can physically do it.

It's a great idea in theory but it will most likely have some unintended consequences.

[Crystal]

I would make this a part of the daily routine. They can practice zipping and snapping their own pants after potty or diapering. They can help each other with jackets. They can use their own shoes for practice tying. It just becomes a part of our day here when children start showing interest in these skills and they really like helping each other once they have mastered the skills!

[laundrymom]

Here there isn't a fancy expensive toy, but dress up clothes, normal routines of regular clothes. Once a child masters a skill they help another child. It eventually filters through as they grow up and learn from their peers.