I am learning to get dressed 

SPECIAL TOOL

Coloring getting dressed chart

This tool was created in response to a special request. (Open coloring getting dressed chart) Print for each child. Use the chart daily to help children get dressed. Each time you go outside, invite children to color a symbol once they are dressed. At the end of the week, use the chart to spark a discussion with your group. 

CIRCLE TIME

Puppets-I am learning to get dressed

(Open puppets-I am learning to get dressed) Use the puppets for their “creative” aspect. Use your imagination to bring them to life and create puppet conversations about the theme. Encourage children to participate in the discussion with their own puppets. You can find countless puppet models in the Educatall Club.

Let’s chat

(Open word flashcards-I am learning to get dressed) Print and laminate the word flashcards. Have each child pick a flashcard. They can take turns presenting their item to the group (ex. socks). Encouarge them to share what they know about each item. Ask them questions to fuel the conversation.

Surprise-filled suitcase-Clothing
To present your theme, set a large suitcase filled with clothing items that are appropriate for different seasons on your daycare floor. Your suitcase could, for example, contain hats, boots, coats, bathing suits, shorts, scarves, mittens, etc. Let children manipulate the items. They will enjoy emptying and filling your suitcase repeatedly. During circle time, associate each item to the season it is best suited for.   

A treasure hunt to discover the theme

(Open educa-decorate-Clothing) Print and laminate. Set the illustrated items on various objects throughout your daycare. Ask children to find and collect them. Together, name each item once they have all been found. Invite children to guess which theme you will be exploring. 

Animated discussion-Clothing

(Open picture game-Clothing) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer and use them to spark a conversation with your group during circle time. Ask children questions about clothing. Here are a few examples of questions you could ask them: Why do we wear hats? Can you name clothing items that are worn during summer? Which items do we wear during winter months? What types of hats exist to protect our heads? Which clothing items protect our feet?

AREA SETUP

Thematic poster-I am learning to get dressed

Print various posters related to your theme and use them to decorate your daycare. (Open thematic poster-I am learning to get dressed)

Stickers-Clothing

(Open stickers-Clothing) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create a collection of original stickers. 

Educa-theme-I am learning to get dressed
(Open educa-theme-I am learning to get dressed) Print and laminate the elements representing your theme. Use them to present the theme to children (and their parents) while decorating your daycare.

Educa-decorate-I am learning to get dressed
(Open educa-decorate-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut out the items. Use them to decorate the walls of your daycare and set the mood for your theme. 

Hang hats and clothing items from the ceiling

Ask families and acquaintances for hats and clothing items (shirts, pants, helmets, socks, etc.). Use invisible thread to hang the items from your daycare ceiling to decorate your space for the duration of the theme.  

Diploma-I am learning to get dressed

(Open diploma-I am learning to get dressed) Print for each child. At the end of the theme, hand each child his or her diploma to congratulate them for their efforts.

Clothing corner

Transform your dress-up corner so that it looks like a clothing corner. For this theme, you will need to collect several different clothing items and accessories: shirts, bath robes, socks, scarves, sweaters, dresses, belts, tuques, gloves, etc. Ask parents if they have unused items that they could donate to add to your clothing corner. Use cardboard boxes to sort the items per type or season. Hang an indoor clothesline. Every morning, hang different items that are worn during a specific season. Let children try on the items and use them to dress up for role play activities. Have fun creating original outfits with the items in your corner. Sort them by color, by size, or in order of preference.

Personal laundry baskets

Purchase inexpensive laundry baskets (variety of colors). Set the laundry baskets on the floor in your circle time area. The baskets can be used to delimit each child’s personal space. Children will enjoy sitting in their laundry basket during circle time or story time. 

Clothing mural

Cut several different clothing items (sweaters, socks, pants, dresses, etc.) out of magazines or catalogues and invite children to glue them on a large piece of cardboard, creating outfits and characters as they see fit. The end result will be a colorful thematic mural.    

PICTURE GAME-I AM LEARNING TO GET DRESSED

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner.(Open picture game-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bins.

Memory game

(Open picture game-I am learning to get dressed) Print the series of illustrations twice and use them for a traditional memory game.

Fun ceiling

Create a mobile simply by hanging pictures of clothing items or laundry baskets under a paper plate using colorful ribbon or string. Add another piece of ribbon or string to hang your mobile from your daycare ceiling. You will find several pictures and illustrations that you can use to create your mobile in the Educatall Club.  

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open activity sheets-I am learning to get dressed)

WRITING ACTIVITIES

For each theme, writing activities are suggested. Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker. (Open writing activities-C like Clothing)

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards-I am learning to get dressed
The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-I am learning to get dressed) (Open giant word flashcards-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut out the word flashcards.

button, zipper, shoelace, scarf, coat, sweater, pants, socks, shoes, boots, dress, pajamas

Educa-chatterbox-I am learning to get dressed

(Open educa-chatterbox-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Decorate a shoebox and set the cards as well as a variety of small items related to the theme inside it. During circle time or, for example, when children are waiting for lunch to be served, have them pick one card or item out of your chatterbox at a time and encourage them to name the item and tell you what they know about it.

To each his hat

(Open to each his hat) Print for each child. Have them cut out the hats and glue each one on a Popsicle stick. Describe one character at a time or, if you prefer, invite a child to do so. When the other children think they recognize the character, they hold up the corresponding hat.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Routine-I am learning to get dressed

(Open routine-I am learning to get dressed) Print and laminate the routine and display it on a wall in your daycare. Children can add the pictures one at a time as they put the corresponding clothing items on.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Modeling dough activity placemats-I am learning to get dressed

(Open modeling dough activity placemats-I am learning to get dressed) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

Educ-clothespins-I am learning to get dressed

(Open educ-clothespins-I am learning to get dressed) Print and laminate. Children must identify the correct picture by pressing a clothespin on it.

Clothing, yes or no?

Set a variety of clothing items in a bag. Add a few pieces that are not clothing. Children take turns sliding their hand inside the bag to try to identify a clothing item or object. Each child can ask 2 questions. If a child is unable to identify an item, his turn is over. Whenever a child succeeds, let him be the one who answers the next player’s questions.  

Pyramid-I am learning to get dressed

Use clothing items to create games. Collect several empty shoeboxes (different sizes). Decorate the boxes with stickers. Stack the boxes on a table to form a pyramid. Children will have fun making the pyramid fall down by tossing a frisbee towards it.

Educa-dots-I am learning to get dressed

(Open educa-dots-I am learning to get dressed) Print for each child. Provide a small bowl containing poster paint and a cotton swab for each child. Children must dip their cotton swab in the paint and then press it on the dots on their worksheet to represent shapes and letters. Let dry and display children’s work on a bulletin board or wall. Have fun naming the items or letters with your group.

I am learning to get dressed for winter

(Open I am learning to get dressed for winter) Print and laminate. Cut out the pieces and set them on a table. Children will have fun dressing the characters for the season.

I am learning to get dressed for spring

(Open I am learning to get dressed for spring) Print and laminate. Cut out the pieces and set them on a table. Children will have fun dressing the characters for the season.

I am learning to get dressed for fall

(Open I am learning to get dressed for fall) Print and laminate. Cut out the pieces and set them on a table. Children will have fun dressing the characters for the season.

I am learning to get dressed for summer

(Open I am learning to get dressed for summer) Print and laminate. Cut out the pieces and set them on a table. Children will have fun dressing the characters for the season.

Laundry toss

Set a large cardboard box upside down on the floor. In the bottom of the box (that is now on the top), cut out a circle that is the same size as a round laundry basket. Insert the laundry basket in the hole. Glue or draw buttons on the front of your homemade washing machine to represent a control panel. Have children stand a few feet away and try to toss clothing items in the washing machine. 

Stamped pajamas

(Open stamped pajamas) Print pajamas for each child. Invite them to use small stamps (various shapes) and stamp pads to create unique designs on their pajamas. If they wish, children can also press their finger in the ink and then on their pajamas.

Sticky sweater stripes

(Open striped sweaters) Print a sweater for each child. Provide a variety of stickers (different colors and shapes) and let children press them on the lines to create unique stripes. If you wish, create stripes on a sweater and invite children to reproduce your model on their printed sweater. Children will enjoy taking turns leading the game.

Clothing hunt

(Open miniature clothing) Print and laminate. Hide the illustrations throughout your daycare and invite children to hunt for them. The child who finds the most illustrations can hide them for the next round.

Magnetic clothing

(Open clothing collection) Print, color, and laminate the models. Next, glue them on magnetic paper. Set the clothing on a table along with a metal baking sheet. Children will have fun pressing the magnetic clothing on its surface.

Roll and color-3D-Clothing

(Open roll and color-3D-Clothing) Print for each child. Print the die and assemble it. Children take turns rolling the die. They color part of their hat, per the number indicated on the die. The first child who completely colors his hat wins.

Lacing-Clothing

(Open lacing-Clothing) Print, laminate, and punch holes around the contour of each item. Set shoelaces on the table and encourage children to lace the shapes.

Playing cards-Clothing

(Open playing cards-Clothing) Print and laminate. Give each child the same number of cards. Children take turns hiding their cards in the daycare. Once they are all done, the hunt begins! Each child tries to find as many cards as possible. 

Game-I pick my clothes

(Open game-I pick my clothes) Print and laminate all the pieces. Cut out the individual clothing items that will make it possible for children to reproduce the various combinations. Each child picks a card and creates an outfit with the illustrated items. 

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Patterns-I am learning to get dressed

(Open patterns-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut out the clothing items. Press a small adhesive magnet behind each one. Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Give each child a metal muffin tin and have them set it upside down and vertically in front of them. They pick a card and reproduce the illustrated pattern by pressing the correct clothing items on the bottom of the tin. 

Word game-I am learning to get dressed

(Open word game-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut out several letters. Give each child a small shovel. You will also need several word flashcards. Using adhesive putty, press a word on each child’s shovel. Children must find and collect the letters required to write their word. When they have found all the necessary letters, they can arrange them in the correct order. When they are done, read the word together. 

Pinch the clothing

(Open game-Pinch the clothing) Print, laminate, and cut out 6 characters for each child. Have them glue each character on a clothespin. Print, laminate, and cut out a wheel for each child. Children take turns rolling a die and pinching the character with the corresponding number on it onto their wheel, in the appropriate section. The first child who has pinched all 6 characters on his wheel wins.

Association puzzles-Numbers-I am learning to get dressed

(Open association puzzles-Numbers-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut both pieces of each puzzle. Children associate the correct number of items to each number.

Game-I am learning to get dressed

(Open game-I am learning to get dressed) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards as well as the clothing items and accessories. Children pick a card and use the illustrated items to dress their character. 

Designing sweaters

(Open designing sweaters) Print for each child. They must cut out each sweater and then cut them along the dotted lines. Next, they glue the sections on a piece of construction paper in numerical order to create sweaters.

Decorated pajamas

(Open association-pajamas with designs) Print, laminate, and cut out the pajama tops and bottoms. Glue a piece of male Velcro behind each piece before setting them all in a small plastic basket that will represent a miniature laundry basket. Press 2 female Velcro pieces on either end of several large Popsicle sticks, one at the top and one at the bottom. Near the bottom of each stick, draw a design that is printed on one of the pajamas. Children pick a stick, name the shape or design that is drawn on it, and search for the top and bottom that make up the corresponding pajamas. When they find them, they press them on their stick. If you wish, you can draw 2 designs on the sticks to create mix-and-match pajamas. 

Educ-pairs-Clothing

(Open educ-pairs-Clothing) Print. Children must color the pictures that are identical using the same color or draw a line between them. For durable, eco-friendly use, laminate for use with dry-erase markers.

Educa-symmetry-Clothing

(Open educa-symmetry-Clothing) Print. Children must color the picture on the left to make it look exactly like the one on the right.

Educ-trace-Clothing

(Open educ-trace-clothing) Print for each child. Children trace the dotted lines using a crayon of the corresponding color and then color the object at the end of the dotted line using the same color.  

Educ-differences-Clothing

(Open educ-differences-Clothing) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the differences using a dry-erase marker.  

Educ-shadows-Clothing

(Open educ-shadows-Clothing) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must draw a line between each item on the left and its shadow on the right using a dry-erase marker. 

Puzzles-Clothing
(Open puzzles-Clothing) Print, laminate, and cut out. Children must assemble the pieces to recreate the scenes.

Hat memory game
(Open hat memory game) Print and laminate 2 copies. Cut out the cards and arrange them in rows on the table. Children take turns turning 2 cards over. The goal is to find matching hats.   

A pair of socks
Print colored socks (Open - colored socks). Glue them on cardboard and laminate. Like the traditional memory game, have children turn over two cards and attempt to find socks of the same color. Store this game in an empty shoe box and leave it in your quiet corner.

Indoors and outdoors
(Open game-Indoors and outdoors) Print and laminate the two illustrations representing indoors and outdoors. Next, using the illustrations from the word flashcards, ask children which items of clothing are worn indoors and outdoors. Have them associate each word flashcard to the correct illustration using adhesive putty.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

The clothing wand
Touch a child with your wand on his sweater, pants, socks...Have him name the clothing item you touched. Make the game more difficult by having the child name the color of the clothing item as well.

Fashion models
Children find a partner. One plays the role of a fashion model while the other is the fashion designer. Children select clothing items from your dress-up box to create outfits for their model. Have the fashion designers present their creations to the group.

I can dress myself

Provide several pairs of shoes (shoelaces), blouses (buttons, snaps, fasteners), coats (zippers), etc. that children can manipulate to develop their fine motor skills. 

I am learning to get dressed

(Open I am learning to get dressed) Print and laminate. Cut out the pieces and let children have fun dressing and undressing the dolls as they see fit.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Models-I am learning to get dressed

(Open models-I am learning to get dressed) Use the different clothing models for your various projects and crafts throughout the theme.  

Puppets-Clothing
(Open puppets-Clothing) Print the puppet models on heavy paper. Have children cut them out and decorate them using a variety of arts & crafts materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each one to turn them into puppets.

Stencils-Clothing

(Open stencils-Clothing) Print and cut out the different stencils. Children can use them to trace or paint items related to the theme.

Crafted clothesline
Have children cut out clothing items they have colored (Open coloring pages theme - Clothing). Using clothespins, they may hang them on a clothesline. This activity may be done throughout the theme.

Mrs. Sock Snake
Make a snake out of an old sock by stuffing it with newspaper scraps. Close the end with a piece of string. Glue wiggly eyes, a tongue, stripes, spots, or patterns using felt. You may even add tiny bells to make a rattlesnake. Have fun naming the snakes.

My silly shoes
Use two empty Kleenex boxes per child to make silly shoes. On either side of the opening on the boxes, make holes that you can thread laces through using a hole-punch. Let children decorate their shoes using art supplies. 

My sweater
Make holes for each child's head and arms in a brown paper bag. Have them decorate their sweaters using fabric and ribbon.

My pants
Using a large roll of paper, measure each child from his waist to his ankles and cut out both the front and back of a pair of pants. Staple the contour of the pants and cut a slit between each pant leg. Staple again. Have each child draw details on his pants.

My coat
Use garbage bags. In each bag, cut holes for a child’s head and arms. Next, cut a slit along the front of the coat. You may make fasteners out of pipe cleaners that children can use to tie their coat. Children decorate their coat as they see fit.

My hat
(Open model - hat) Cut out the pieces. Staple to assemble.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-I am learning to get dressed) Print for each child.

Have fun!

The educatall team