Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are defined as “the things we normally do including feeding ourselves, bathing, grooming, dressing, work, homemaking, and leisure. Dressing tasks are part of the ‘Basic Activities of Daily Living’ within the self-care functional skills category.
Several skills are required in order for your child to complete dressing tasks, such as:
- Fine motor skills
- Visual motor skills
- Visual perceptual skills
- Bilateral hand use/bilateral integration
- Pinch and grip strength
Below is a list of dressing skills and the age range at which a child should be completing the skill independently.
|
Dressing Task |
Age Skill Should be Mastered (years) |
|
Assists pullover shirt |
1.5-2.0 |
|
Removes shirt |
2.5-3.0 |
|
Puts on shirt |
3.5-4.0 |
|
Front opening shirt |
4.0-4.5 |
|
Front opening shirt & fasteners |
5.5-6.0 |
|
Assists with fasteners |
2.0-2.5 |
|
Zips/unzips |
4.0-4.5 |
|
Snaps/unsnaps |
4.5-5.0 |
|
Buttons/unbuttons |
5.0-5.5 |
|
Hooks & separates zipper |
6.0-6.5 |
|
Assists with pants |
1.5-2.0 |
|
Removes pants |
2.5-3.0 |
|
Puts on pants, elastic waist |
3.0-3.5 |
|
Removes & unfastens pants |
4.5-5.0 |
|
Puts on & fastens pants |
5.5-6.0 |
|
Removes socks/shoes |
2.0-2.5 |
|
Puts on shoes, wrong feet |
3.0-3.5 |
|
Puts on socks |
3.5-4.0 |
|
Shoes on correct feet |
5.5-6.0 |
|
Ties shoelaces |
6.5-7.0 |
If your child is not meeting these mile markers and/or struggles with these self-care tasks, he/she may benefit from Occupational Therapy to work on building these skills. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.
