Practice Life
Empower Your Child’s Independence with Dressing Frame: Zippers
As parents, we want our children to grow up to be independent individuals who can take care of themselves. One way to encourage this independence is by teaching them life skills, such as dressing themselves. However, learning how to zip up a jacket or a pair of pants can be a frustrating and challenging task for young children. This is where dressing frames come in. These tools can help children master the art of zipping, buttoning, and tying, while also building their confidence and independence. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of using dressing frames to empower your child’s independence with zippers.
Dressing Frame: Zippers
Suitable Age: 3+
Materials:
- The zipper dressing frame
Direct Aim:
- To zip and unzip a zipper independently
Indirect Aim:
- Refinement of the small muscles in the hand
- Concentration
- Hand-eye coordination
- Independence
- Fine motor skills
Presentation/ Child instruction:
- Once you have both been seated, reach for the latch of the zipper, pulling downwards (making sure not to block the visibility of the child), until the zipper has reached the zipper stay. Bring the child’s attention to the movements you are making to open the zipper and then release the zipper.
- Once the zipper has been released, invite the child to separate the sides of the fabric. (The child will know how to open the frame from previous exercises, just indicate to him which side to open first, remembering the economy of movement). This will show the child that once the zipper has been zipped down, the fabric will open easily.
- After the child has closed the fabric, carefully demonstrate how to join the two bottom ends of the zipper. Slowly place the appropriate end (the big tooth) inside the other. Using one hand to hold the two bottom ends in place, while the other hand is grasping onto the latch of the zipper and slowly lifting upwards.
- Once you have completed the frame, invite the child to have a turn.
Point of interest:
- The colors fabric, and the noise of the zipper being opened and closed, became independent
Control of Error:
- Unable to attach the two bottom ends into the zipper stay
- Unable to zip the zipper once in place
- Pulling the zipper without using the stable hand
- Difficulty following a sequence
>> Read more: Empower Your Child’s Independence with Dressing Frame: Large Buttons and Small Buttons