A neat trick that will foster independence in your classroom!
In the middle of winter time, it can seem like the classroom is filled with an overabundance of coats, gloves, hats, and scarves. Trying to keep winter wear all organized and then helping kids get everything on can be a daunting task for preschoolers yet alone preschool teachers (or parents). To help the children be more independent in putting coats on, we teach them this simple process so they can learn how to put on their own coat…
Step 1
Start by inviting a child to place his or her coat in the middle of the floor with the zipper or opening of the coat facing up. Then  stand at the head of the coat and look down…
Step 2
Next, invite the child to place both hands inside the sleeves of the coat…
Step 3
Now the child must lift the coat up and over his head while continuing to slide his hands down the sleeve of the coat…
A fun and simple process
Some of my students are able to put their coats on the traditional way and others can get one sleeve on then end up chasing their other sleeve around in circles. So we introduce this process to all the children then let them explore which way works best for them…
The Final Step
Once the children have a good grasp on getting coats on all by their selves, then we are ready to move onto how to zip up a zipper!
But I don’t have any tips for zipping up coats – just lots of patience, practice, and time for those fine motor skills to cooperate!
Available on Amazon
Links to Grow On
Fleece Mittens from Make It and Love It
Colorful Fine Motor Play by Teach Preschool
How to Zip a Jacket from Baby Center