How to Teach Your Toddler to Dress Themselves (and the Wardrobe We Designed for It)
Halle's closet was built for grown-ups. The shelves were too high and the hanging rod was out of reach, so she always needed a grown-up's help to get to her clothes. For a little one who wanted to do everything herself, that didn't sit well.
So we built her a wardrobe her size. Now she picks out her own outfit every day, puts her clothes away, and even hangs them up on hangers. Here's how she got there, a few things that helped, and how we designed the wardrobe that made it possible.
How do you teach a toddler to dress themselves?
It starts with reach. If your child can see their clothes and get to them on their own, they can start making choices. From there, it's mostly patience and practice.
When the wardrobe went into Halle's room, her parents started by setting out a few outfits and showing her what was what and where each piece of clothing goes. Over time, she got it. It was a lot like teaching her to put books back on her bookshelf: show her once, let her try, and let the routine do the rest.
We also noticed that having a wardrobe that was hers, at her height, made her care about it more.
What is a Montessori wardrobe?
A Montessori-style wardrobe is a small, child-height wardrobe that holds just a few outfits, where your child can see and reach them. Instead of a full closet of choices, your little one gets a handful of options they can reach, choose from and put back on their own.
The idea is simple: when getting dressed is something your child can do, they usually want to do it.
How we designed our toddler wardrobe
Like everything we make, we started by looking at what was already out there. A lot of Montessori setups use a clothing rack and separate shelves. We wanted one piece that did it all, with small rooms in mind.
We drew a lot of designs. Different shapes, different styles, and none of them felt right. Then we drew the one we sell today, and it's the only wardrobe design we ever cut out. We made a test version out of a different material to try with Halle, and the only change it needed was adjusting the hanging rod.
We made it open on purpose, as open as we could make it. When clothes are hanging right in front of your child at their height, it's easier for them to see their options and decide what to wear. Keeping it open also means it uses less wood. We build with Baltic birch, a furniture-grade plywood made from many thin layers of birch, which makes it strong and dense. Building a closed wardrobe from it would have made it much heavier and cost a lot more, so the open design lets us use the good stuff without overdoing it.
The curved hanging rod is our favorite part. It's the trickiest piece to make, but it adds to the soft, curvy look of the whole wardrobe and turns it into a statement piece instead of just a place to hang clothes.
For the height, we looked at typical kids' wardrobes, then tested it with Halle until it felt right for her. It's 30 inches wide, 34 inches tall and 14 inches deep.
How Halle uses hers
Halle loved her wardrobe from day one. She learned quickly how to put her clothes away and hang them up, and now picking out her outfit is part of her mornings.
Some days she picks more than one. It's not unusual for her to change outfits on her own several times a day. And when it's time for dress-up, her costumes hang right next to her everyday clothes.
Tips for setting up a toddler wardrobe
These work with any child-height wardrobe, not just ours.
- Keep only a few days of clothes in it. Too many choices can be overwhelming. Store the rest somewhere else and swap things in as the seasons change.
- Give everything a spot. We picture shirts and dresses on the hanging rod, socks, pants and shorts on the shelves, shoes on the bottom, and something fun on top. Cloth baskets on the shelves keep small things like socks organized, and they look cute too. But set it up however works best for your family.
- Let them try first. Before you step in, give your little one a chance to do it on their own. It might take longer, a shirt might go on backwards, and the outfit might not match. That's all part of learning. Help when they ask, and leave a few extra minutes in the morning so nobody feels rushed.
- Set it against a wall. It's a good spot for it, and if you'd like extra peace of mind, you can anchor it to the wall with your own furniture anchors.
Is a toddler wardrobe right for your family?
A toddler wardrobe works best in small spaces, especially in a room without a closet, or one where the closet wasn't built with little people in mind.
It isn't meant to hold all of your child's clothes. It holds a few outfits, enough for your child to choose from for a few days or a week. If you need more storage, our Toy Shelf matches the wardrobe and works well beside it.
What other parents say
One parent shared that the wardrobe gave her son the chance to help get himself dressed for the day and for bedtime, and that it's become a special part of their daily routine. You can read the reviews on the Toddler Wardrobe page.
Halle's verdict: The best part is picking her own outfit. And then picking another one an hour later.
If you're ready to bring one home, take a look at our Toddler Wardrobe, or see everything in Toddler Room Essentials. Setting up a reading spot too? How to Set Up a Montessori Bookshelf has our simple tips. And if you're new here, meet the family behind Halle's Corner.
Thanks for stopping by. From our family to yours,
Halle's Corner