Tifani's Blog EN002:Getting Dressed {updated 2/26/14}

Tifani Davids

2/26/14

EN002-Ankney

Mnemonic Device

Getting Dressed

Wouldn't it be great if we could all just run around naked?!  I bet young children would agree the best suit to wear is their birthday suit!  As a mother of a young son, I know all too well the battles that come with accomplishing daily tasks, especially getting him dressed for the day.  Activities that may seem effortless to us can feel overwhelming to a young person who is learning new things everyday.  Even playtime is true work to a child, and that is usually an enjoyable task.  By creating a mnemonic device through song, my son and I now enjoy the daily task of getting him dressed.  Dressing is an essential activity to learn, but it doesn't have to be a fight between the teacher and the student. The song I created is easy to learn, functional, and logical.  Any tune imaginable can be used to go along with the words to the song.  By using order, and beginning at the child’s head while working your way down to the feet, the child will not only remember what comes next but also what is missing.  Even small children know it is unacceptable to go out in public without any pants.  Eventually, by following the same order each time, the child will begin to anticipate his or her next step almost instinctively.  The verses are as follows.  Continue to repeat each verse until said instruction is complete:

            “Put your head in your shirt, put your head in your shirt.  Put your arm in your shirt, put your arm in your shirt.  Put your leg in your pants, put your leg in your pants.  Put your sock on your foot, put your sock on your foot.”  When finished, you end the song by exclaiming, “That’s how we get dressed. Yay!”

In a few short weeks of singing the “Getting Dressed” song to my son while getting him dressed, he has learned not only where his body parts are as well as what piece of clothing goes where, he also no longer screams and squirms to avoid getting dressed.  At the end of each verse he claps his hands.  This is a step he has included on his own proving the satisfaction and understanding of his accomplishment.    Maria Motessori, educator and creator of the Montessori learning method, explains, "Help me do it myself"  is the silent mantra of children.  Songs are a great motivator to encourage children to do what they already want to do.  "Getting Dressed" is a mnemonic device similar to other children songs used to accomplish tasks such as, "This is the Way we wash our Hands", and the ever popular, "Clean-Up" song.  Instructing a child to put his toys away or wash his face will most likely get a sour response, but simply singing the appropriate song for the task at hand offers a much more pleasant response.

Mornings are hard.  Mornings are usually rushed.  Throw an uncooperative, or should we say un-learned, child into your morning and spilled milk may not be the only thing being cried over.  The "Getting Dressed" song can now be added to your mental playlist of go-to songs to get through the day with your child, or child you are caring for.  There is a time and a place for the Birthday Suit, for all other occasions, the "Getting Dressed" song is a great mnemonic device to use for a smooth transition from naked to ready-for-the-day.  Not only will the child be fully clothed, he will also be wearing a bit of pride as well for "Doing it myself".