Dress Up Corner....am I a Big Meanie Bo Beanie?

[Soccermom]

The dress up corner is driving me bananas lately!

I have an almost 4 year old DCG and a 3 year old DCG who just love to dress up but they aren't willing to try to put anything on themselves and they want to change dresses or outfits every 2 seconds.

At first, I help them put the dresses on but after the 3rd of 4th change I lose patience and tell them if they want to change, they need to do it all by themselves.

They always get annoyed with me and move on to play something else instead. I then feel really mean but isn't the point of dress up for the kids to actually dress themselves up?

I am seriously considering letting go of the whole dress up thing or only putting in items such as skirts and hats.

Do you all spend time dressing and undressing the kids all morning? I hope I am not the only one who feels irritated by dress up LOL ::

[Meyou]

I don't help them with anything so maybe you should switch up your involvement. Basically, if they can't try and figure it out themselves then they aren't "big" enough to wear/play with that item and should try something else. All of my dress up dresses are roomier so even a 2 year old can get them on and off in some fashion.

Or maybe take out everything but skirts, hats and accessories (like capes) and work up to more complicated things like dresses. A 4 year should be dressing themselves so they shouldn't have any problem with dress up clothes IMO.

I bet a couple of days of hearing, "I'm sorry but you are having so much trouble with dresses that we can't play with them until you are a little bigger," might change their minds about what they "can" and "can't" do alone.

[taylorw1210]

You're definitely not alone in not wanting to dress and undress kids all day! I think with your kiddos ages they should be able to do it on their own. Show them a few times how to do it and then leave it up to them.

[Kimskiddos]

I don't help them with anything so maybe you should switch up your involvement. Basically, if they can't try and figure it out themselves then they aren't "big" enough to wear/play with that item and should try something else. All of my dress up dresses are roomier so even a 2 year old can get them on and off in some fashion.

Or maybe take out everything but skirts, hats and accessories (like capes) and work up to more complicated things like dresses. A 4 year should be dressing themselves so they shouldn't have any problem with dress up clothes IMO.

I bet a couple of days of hearing, "I'm sorry but you are having so much trouble with dresses that we can't play with them until you are a little bigger," might change their minds about what they "can" and "can't" do alone.

[Blackcat31]

I don't help them with anything so maybe you should switch up your involvement. Basically, if they can't try and figure it out themselves then they aren't "big" enough to wear/play with that item and should try something else. All of my dress up dresses are roomier so even a 2 year old can get them on and off in some fashion.

Or maybe take out everything but skirts, hats and accessories (like capes) and work up to more complicated things like dresses. A 4 year should be dressing themselves so they shouldn't have any problem with dress up clothes IMO.

I bet a couple of days of hearing, "I'm sorry but you are having so much trouble with dresses that we can't play with them until you are a little bigger," might change their minds about what they "can" and "can't" do alone.

I had a HUGE collection of dress-up items but unfortunately ALL of them needed my assistance so now I no longer have those items.

I now have clothing items, (slip on things, Velcro closures, hats, vests) that are ALL easy for anyone under 5 to do.

I don't want to play dress up so I had to remove the things they couldn't manage and put things in they could figure out themselves.

Just like Barbie dolls....I got tired of dressing them so I no longer have them.

[daycare]

like many others I also wont do it for them.

I should say, that I may help out with the very difficult ones, but you will get my help once and I am done.

they have learned to help each other or not take it out at all. Most of the stuff I have is fairly easy to put on and does not take much to manage.

I got rid of the ones that were causing us headache and left the things that I knew they could manage on their own.

those doc vest that velcro in the back or the butterfly wings made only of material, no wire. I have fur coats and real adult clothing.

I have to keep mine in order to meet my curriculum standards, but I don't help them dress up and down all day. That would drive me to the loony bin, but according to everyone we know I am already there.

[Wednesday!]

They aren't even trying to do it themselves? They should be able to, but may need some direction from you the first few times. If you're certain they can do it and are just unmotivated to make it happen, them that's their choice.

[Crazy8]

I just changed my playroom around and went from a huge bin of dress up to a small bin of just the easy stuff like hats, vests, elastic skirts, etc. I got rid of all the costumes that required me helping them get on. My kids are all 3 and under so it was a real pain to put stuff on them for 5 minutes of play time.

[Soccermom]

I feel better now! Thanks ladies!

I think I will go through the items tonight and take out the dresses that cause the most headaches. I will leave the shoes, purses, hats and vests.

[daycare]

I feel better now! Thanks ladies!

I think I will go through the items tonight and take out the dresses that cause the most headaches. I will leave the shoes, purses, hats and vests.

honestly this was the easiest way that I could keep it in my program. It really does take lots of practice to learn how to use the dress up clothing. Which most of it does break down to skill and hand eye coordination.

I can't stand when they get the dresses turned inside out and then constantly want me to fix them. I would tell them if you can't fix it, you can't wear it.

I felt bad too, but they really just don't have the motor-skills to be able to do that yet.

so I decided to keep it simple

[Unregistered]

I have elastic waist skirts, vests, tutus, capes, hats , bags, purses, chiffon scarves, bandanas, and silk scarves. They find all kinds of creative ways to combine them into outfits.

[daycarediva]

I have a large dress up collection that I rotate out frequently. I used to not have anything out because of this. Now I put out easy things like slip on capes, hats, Velcro in the back 'shirt' style dress up items, etc. and harder things, too. Pull over dresses with buttons/snaps and some zippers.

I do not help. That's part of the learning, is dressing/undressing.

[Unregistered]

Generally, no I wouldn't help them. I have skirts, fairy wings, capes, vests, purses, shoes, etc. besides dresses. My twos get in and out of the dress up clothes even. I may help on occasion but I'm really not asked often for help.

If I were you I'd just set up some expectations.... Let the girls know at the beginning of the day. Talk about how they can help each other and let know you won't be helping. And sure, take out the hard to use items unless you think they can handle them with the new approach to dress up

Dress is one of my favorite things to have out!

[debbiedoeszip]

I don't help children unless it's something I want or need them to do (put on outdoor clothes, tidy up, etc). Otherwise, they can either struggle and succeed, or struggle and give up until their next attempt. Even with the things I want/need them to do, I'm very, very slow to help.

[debbiedoeszip]

I wouldn't get rid of difficult dress up items. How will they learn if they can't practice. We need to learn to fend off their requests for help. I tell my dckids to "Work at it.", and then I turn away and pretend to be "busy".