Creating a Montessori Toddler Dressing Area
When I first started learning about the Montessori approach, I was so drawn to the beautiful photos of homes with spaces created specifically with children in mind. But at that point in my journey, I think I was more drawn to how those spaces looked, rather than how they functioned. I know now that functionality is far more important than aesthetics. Yes, children appreciate beauty and that is part of Montessori, but perfection and overcomplication are not necessary. I'll share more about this as I walk you through how our dressing area has changed over time as my son grows and his needs change. I will be sharing with you what it looked like when we started along with how it is now!
Why is a Dressing Area Helpful?
Montessori accessible clothing and wardrobe setups for toddlers provide the opportunity to instill independence and life skills from a young age. By creating a child-centered environment, you can help your toddler develop essential life skills and build confidence in their ability to make choices and take charge of their clothing and daily routine.
Offering Clothing Choices from Infancy...
I think it's important to note that offering choices can begin far before a child can crawl, walk, or speak. We can offer choices to infants and observe their reaction for signs of preference. I used to hold up two onesie options to my son when he was around 6 months old and wait for him to show me with his eyes which was more attractive to him. He could also grab for things at that point, so I would dress him that way. It may seem silly to offer choices to an infant, but allowing early opportunities for decision-making empowers our little ones to become more confident and conveys that we value and respect their opinions.
Our First Accessible Wardrobe...
Once my son could walk, I knew he was ready for a more structured dressing area. I wanted something that he
could access independently, which meant I would no longer be holding up options for him. We had a play gym we built for him that he was no longer using and it became the perfect little clothing rack for him! At first we only included a couple of options as to not overwhelm him. When introducing something new like this, we've always experienced an adjustment period. There is a new opportunity for independence and along with that comes a new opportunity for exploration! Children will naturally explore new things and sometimes that can be frustrating to us as adults. In our case, this looked like our toddler pulling the clothing off the rack, throwing clothes on the floor, and even dragging around the whole clothing rack! Eventually that exploration lost its luster and he began to use it as intended.
A Bigger Setup...
We were so excited when Sprout gifted us their "Alba Montessori Children's Wardrobe." (Use my link or code AUTUMN10 for a discount!) We've had it for over a year now and it's been the perfect addition for our toddler's bedroom. It has several shelves in addition to the hanging rack which provides the opportunity to really appeal to the child's natural sense of order. Now that he is 2.5 years old, we include several options for clothing in his wardrobe. The most important thing to remember is to only include clothing options that you're okay with the child choosing. If there is something out and accessible to the child, it communicates to them that it's a valid option. If, for example, you have shorts out as an option but it's too cold outside for shorts, then you may end up with a power struggle on your hands when your child picks the shorts.
Organizing the wardrobe: I decided it would be helpful at this age to include graphic labels for each shelf so our son would know where to find his clothing items without having to scour through everything. We have five shelves on the left side of the wardrobe. Included on each shelf is a small basket that contains a specific category of clothing. You could use any assortment of categories that makes sense for your family. We include the following: pajamas, pants, shirts, socks, and underwear. If you'd like graphic labels, I've added them to my shop here as a FREE download!
Outfit Options: I have seen other families include pre-selected full outfits on each hanger, which provides the adult with more control over what the child can wear. I think this option would be particularly well-suited for younger toddlers who may not understand things like the weather. As the child gets older, you could consider including a weather chart in the dressing area and discuss that day's weather forecast with the child so they may make appropriate clothing choices. Every child has different needs so please do what you feel is best for yours!
Additional Options:
Mirror: We include a low mirror for our son to check out his full outfit before leaving the room.
Shoe Rack: You may choose to set up a low shoe rack where your toddler can reach their shoes easily. Then they can work on putting shoes on and taking them off independently.
Laundry Basket: Place a child-friendly laundry basket within their reach to encourage tidying up and responsibility for their clothing.
Haircare: You could include a hairbrush/comb along with hair accessories as part of the dressing station.
For a video tour of the wardrobe and it's purpose, check out my Instagram account! I have a few reels on dressing stations:
Wardrobe Tour: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyQ7LysLF5g/
Outfit Choices using a Weather Board: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cs6MDfprg4y/
Three Ways to Create a Dressing Station: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CljirZCpKO0/
Reasons to Prepare a Dressing Area: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjV3OcApoaE/
Preparing for Independent Dressing: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cfy_1FBj-r9/
Our First Dressing Station: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CfosonIj7Ds/
If you'd like graphic labels, I've added them to my shop here as a FREE download!
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