An important area of Early Years Learning is Practical Life. This is where children learn to do things that they see grown-ups doing, and crave to do for themselves – like dressing themselves up! I introduced my 3yo to the Dressing Frames once we realized his interest in dressing himself up...and he was super excited to start with the Button Frame, and subsequently the more tasking frames.
The Dressing Frame is a key Practical Life material which helps young children (age 2+) to develop independence and care of self as they learn to fasten different clothing implements.
The Material:
The Montessori Inspired Dressing Frames by ProjectBaby (available here) is comprised of a solid wooden tower, which supports 3 different ‘frames’ on each of its four sides. These frames hold material stretched over the top of the frames and different types of fasteners which children may encounter while dressing. They include:
Zipping Frame
Bow Frame
Large Buttoning Frame
Small Buttoning Frame
Lacing Frame
Velcro Frame
Buckling Frame
Hook and Eye Frame
Snapping Frame
Safety Pin Frame
Purpose:
Practical Life exercises are an important piece of our learning through play activities, because through these children independently and confidently perform daily tasks that they might find at home or even in the class room.
The primary purpose of introducing your Little One to this activity is to teach them how to dress themselves through mastering different clothing fasteners; plus, being able to dress and undress oneself is one of the major steps to independence.
Using the dressing frames also tests a child’s hand eye coordination and fine motor skills, as they work with each material. When your LO works with these frames, aside from learning the skill and gaining independence, they are also improving their hand strength and task persistence.
Introducing the Activity
Typically, you should first introduce your LO to the Large Buttoning Frame and Zip Frame from the age of two, and as their skill level builds you may challenge them with harder implements.
It may be very difficult for a 2 year old to practice buttoning shirt buttons when he / she is actually wearing the shirt, but if your LO has a frame with the buttons on the table, he / she can see the buttonholes and practice on the frame and when they learn to do them on the frame, it is not so difficult to do them on their own clothes.
THE BUTTON FRAME (large, then small)
How to introduce the Activity:
Unbuttoning
Bring the frame to a table and introduce the frame by saying ‘This is the Large Buttoning Frame’, and explain the purpose of the exercise.
Tell your child that you will be showing him / her how to unbutton and button.
Hold a button in the right hand and the fabric next to the buttonhole with the left hand. Tilt the button vertically so that it slips through easily.
Pull the material to create a hole, tilt the button down, and then slide it through the hole.
Show your child that the button is now free from the material.
Repeat this process on the following buttons in order, working slowly to allow your child to watch each step.
Rebutton.
Let your LO practice the unbuttoning.
Buttoning
Next, working from the top, hold the left edge of the button with left thumb and index finger and hold the material on the other side.
Slide the button halfway through the hole, then re-adjust your grip on the button to pinch the side of the button which is coming through the hole.
With right thumb and index finger, grasp button; left fingers hold right cloth. Both hands pull, left pulls cloth to the left; right pulls button to right and through buttonhole.
Pull the button until it is through the hole.
Repeat this process for the following buttons in order, working slowly to allow the child to watch each step.
Once all buttons are fastened, offer the child a turn to unbutton and button the frame.
THE ZIPPING FRAME
How to Introduce the Activity
Unzipping
Bring the frame to a table and introduce the frame by saying ‘This is the Zipping Frame’.
Tell your LO that you will be showing him / her how to zip and unzip.
Use one hand to hold both edges of the fabric together (at the top), and pinch the zip with the other hand.
Pull the zipper down, working slowly to allow the child to watch the process.
Zipping
Next, use one hand to hold both edges of the fabric together (at the bottom) as the other hand draws the zipper up.
Once complete, offer the child a turn to zip and unzip the frame.
Pretty easy right?
On the next edition of the "Intro to Dressing Frames" series, we'll be showing you how to introduce your LO to / use the other Dressing Frames.
Do you use the Dressing Frames at home or in your classroom? Has your LO had any success using the Dressing Frames? Let's discuss!
Love & Light,
Oby O
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