Empower Your Child’s Independence with Dressing Frame: Belt Buckles

As parents, we all want our children to grow up to be independent and self-sufficient individuals. And one of the best ways to help them achieve this goal is by teaching them essential life skills from a young age. One such skill is dressing themselves, which not only promotes independence but also fosters confidence and self-esteem in children. But how do we go about teaching our little ones to dress themselves? This is where the dressing frame comes in, specifically the belt buckle frame. It may seem like a simple tool, but it can make a significant impact on your child’s ability to dress themselves and take on the world with confidence.

Dressing Frame: Belt Buckles

Suitable Age: 3 1/2+

Materials: 

• The belt buckle dressing frame

Direct Aim:

• To fasten and release a belt buckle independently

Indirect Aim:

• Refining of the muscles in the hand
• Concentration
• Hand-eye coordination
• Independence
• Fine motor skills
• Order of sequence

Presentation/ Child instruction: 

1. Once seated, reach for the first buckle at the very top (making sure not to block the child’s visibility). The buckle dressing frame is completed in three steps. In the first step, begin to release the latch on each buckle.
2. After two or three buckle latches have been released invite the child to continue.
3. Once the child has released all the latches on each buckle, begin the second step. Reach for the top buckle and begin to slowly remove the pin from the buckle.
4. Again, after two or three pins have been removed invite the child to try.
5. Once all pins have been removed, move on to the third stage.
6. Beginning with the very top buckle release the belt through the buckle (now it is completely undone).
7. Offer a turn to the child once two or three have been completed.
8. Once all buckles have been released, allow the child to open the fabric, and indicate to him which side, to begin with ( remembering the economy of movement). The opening of the fabric will show the child that after all belt buckles are released the fabric will easily open.
9. Invite the child to close the fabric and begin to fasten the belt buckles using the same procedure as above (in reverse). First, begin to put the belt through the belt buckle, second by placing the pin through the belt, and third, put the belt through the belt latch.
10. Throughout each step, give the child an opportunity to try each step involved. Invite the child to do the frame again. If the child declines, then invite him to return the dressing frame back to its original place.

Point of interest:

• The belt buckles, the colorful fabric, become independent

Control of Error: 

• Unable to remove/put the belt pin through the hole
• Forgetting the sequence
• Unable to unlatch/latch the belt buckles

>> Read more: Empower Your Child’s Independence with Dressing Frame: Knots and Bows