Putting on Pants

Dressing is an important factor in our child’s lives. We learn basic dressing skills when we are infants. It may sound or look easy but it can be a challenging process when we implement these skills to our children in the spectrum.

 

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So here are some basic steps to ensure our child is successful while learning to put on their clothes INDEPENDENTLY.

1. Like every program, it is important to break skills down. How do we break it down?
2. If you are teaching your child to put on pants, the great way to break skills down is by:-
• Performing backwards chaining for pulling up pants.
• Teacher or parents, help child put both legs in pants, child pulls pants up between thighs. Once your child is independently pulling up between thighs.
• The next step is for your child to pull pants up between knees.
• The last step is for your child to pulls pants up from the floor.
3. Once your child is constantly successful pulling up pants. The next step is for your child to wear pants independently. 
• First crumple the pants and place it on the floor, so it is easier for your child to put both legs in pants. Target one leg at a time.
• Once your child is independently putting on pants. Next fold the pants into two, your child has to unfold the pants and wear the pants independently. During this time it is important to label the back and front.
• Next fold the pants entirely and child has to unfold and wear independently.
• Lastly fold pants and place in the cupboard. Child opens cupboard, unfold pants and wears independently.
4. There are others way that you can teach your child to put on pants.
• Social stories
• Video modeling (demonstration of a different child putting on pants.
• Visuals

 

 It is important to reinforce your child’s effort with STRONG REINFORCERS (something that really motivates the child) and verbal praise such as “How exciting, you can put on your clothes like big kids do.”

 

Written by

Jerusha

Supervisor, EAP Malaysia