'Help! My Preschooler Absolutely Hates Getting Dressed'

Parents face a whole host of daily battles – from the mammoth task that is bedtime to getting kids out of the door on time for nursery or school.

But for toddlers and preschoolers (those who are not yet of school age) in particular, getting dressed can be one of the biggest battles of them all. 

There can be a range of factors at play here, Dr Patapia Tzotzoli, clinical psychologist and founder of My Triage Network, told HuffPost UK.

“Children are constantly being told what they can or can’t do,” she said. “So, when it comes to getting dressed, they often want to assert control over their bodies and choices. These battles are often about power – not clothes.”

Some children are more sensitive to certain sensations, especially neurodivergent children, the expert noted.

“Tags, seams, tight clothes, or temperature changes can feel overwhelming. Children with less developed language skills may not be able to communicate their discomfort, and these battles can become intense if parents miss this.”

Some kids might also want to wear the same clothes every day, added the psychologist, because they feel emotionally attached to them.

“Sometimes this happens because they received a compliment the last time they wore the outfit, which felt good – and they want to replicate that feeling,” she added. 

Sometimes it might be down to tiredness or even hunger... One parent recently shared on Reddit that their toddler had been “impossible to dress” for a couple of months.

They tried everything they could think of to try and change the tide, yet found nothing seemed to work. 

Then they realised maybe he was just hangry – that terrifying combination of hungry and angry. The parent said they started giving their son extra nutrition and found getting dressed in the morning suddenly became a lot easier.

But if food and a good night’s sleep doesn’t seem to do the trick, fear not! Dr Patapia Tzotzoli has some more recommendations for parents to try: 

Offer limited choices

Let them choose between two outfits. This supports autonomy while keeping the options appropriate for the weather or occasion, she explained.

Read books about getting dressed

If the protagonist goes through a dressing routine, this helps build the mental building blocks children need to understand why we get dressed, what’s appropriate and how a successful dressing routine looks, said the expert.

“You can build on this by later creating visuals or a routine chart to help them know what comes next,” she added.

Turn it into a game

Getting dressed can seem like a pretty boring task – so, turn it into a game. 

“Ask them to choose something ‘red’ and pair it with something ‘long’,” said Dr Tzotzoli. “Play music in the background and have them choose something before the music stops (like the musical chairs game). Let them dress their dolls or stuffed animals first.”

Let them shop with you

When buying new clothes, Dr Tzotzoli advises involving your children in this so they can choose what they like and what feels good on their skin and body.

“This makes them less resistant to wearing clothes they’ve chosen themselves,” she added. Sensory-friendly options can be a good shout, such as seamless socks, soft fabrics and tag-free shirts. 

Remember, it won’t last forever

The good news is: this is just a phase. “As children grow, their language improves, executive functioning develops, and they become more independent and emotionally regulated,” said the psychologist.

“Dressing battles typically ease between the ages of 4 and 6.”

Happy days.