Fostering Independence in Preschoolers

Helping your preschooler become more independent can have a few benefits. Learning more independent ways has long-term benefits to kids, like learning self-reliance and developing confidence in themselves, and it can also help you out considerably. For example, if your preschooler can dress himself and do simple chores, that makes your life easier and frees up some of your time.

  1. Let Your Child Choose

    • Give your preschooler a choice about things whenever possible so he learns to make decisions and feels like his voice matters. Even if it's something as small as a choice of cereal or eggs for breakfast, choosing between two appropriate outfits for school, or getting to choose the movie for family movie nights occasionally, everyone likes to feel that they have some say, including preschoolers. Offer choices between several options that are acceptable to you, rather than just giving an open invite to "pick your own clothes out for school today, honey!" Unless, that is, you don't mind explaining a superhero costume in March to his teacher.

    Give Out Chores

    • Letting your child have some chores and responsibilities can be very helpful in fostering independence, states Psychology Today. For example, preschoolers can be in charge of picking up their own toys after playing, putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, clearing their plates and silverware from the table after meals and feeding pets. Explain to kids that, in a family, everyone has to work together, and having chores is part of that.

    Encourage Your Preschooler's Self-Care

    • By the time your child reaches preschool age, he should be able to take care of many of his self-care needs on his own, explains the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning at Vanderbilt University. Some examples of your preschooler's self-care include dressing himself, brushing his teeth, and even starting to wash himself in the bath or shower. Most preschoolers can also take care of bathroom needs themselves, although you may still be needed to help with tricky belts or reminders to flush the toilet and wash up afterward. Teaching kids to do things on their own shows them how to be independent.

    Listen to Your Preschooler

    • Talk to your preschooler. Ask about her day. Talk about her daydreams, fears and favorite movies. Keep the line of communication open now so that it's easier to talk about the big things as she gets older. Asking questions and actually listening to the answers will show your child that she is important and that you care about her and what goes on in her life. This should give her confidence in herself, which makes showing independence easier.

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