Children dressing warm

Zip em up

Then zip them up Bellesgran - I have 5 grandchildren and in my opinion it is not something you need to overthink!

Surely with all the horrendous weather we have been having, you can understand why I think its important for them to zip their jackets ;)? Its dangerous outside without a coat zipped when it is blowing a gale and raining.

I am finding my zip tricky to do up - it's a double ended one. Perhaps I need to find a 5yr old to help me.
When I married my DH his mother whispered in my ear that he still couldn't do his buttons up and expects to be dressed.
I thought she was joking at the time. Now 50yrs later I have learned that she wasn't joking. I think he can do up buttons, zips and shoelaces but usually doesn't.
I blame his mother.
Welcome Bellesgran

Does it really matter? My AC hardly ever wore coats to school and my GC are going the same way although they do at least have blazers. The truth is that schools often spend so much money on heating that the children are pleased to get out in the fresh air to cool off a bit.

I’m nanny to twins of 4 years old. They do their own zips but sometimes have to have help in putting the zip together, which I do. They are rather resistant to wearing warm clothes but I get them to feel the weather before we go out to help them decide what to wear. If they don’t want extra clothes I just take an extra jumper in my bag, just in case. Sometimes they ask for extra, sometimes not as it their choice. This saves arguments and keeps me happy. I always encourage them to do things for themselves but try to avoid confrontation.
Just let your twins leave the open unless they ask for help. I think it’s good for them to take some responsibility for themselves but do give help if they ask.

Sorry OP, but I do think you are over-thinking this. Can't you just say "do up your zips", and then if they struggle, help them?

When I was teaching I used to look out at the weather and if it was really bad insist everyone had their coat fastened, scarves, hats and gloves on before they went out. If it wasn't too bad I left them to decide-these were 6-8 year olds. In my GC's school reception children seem to come out all zipped up, older ones don't. I think it's good to teach them to do up zips etc, on the other hand there's no harm in doing it for them occasionally just as a GP treat.

It's a bit like shoe laces, fastening zips is tricky but will eventually come with practice.
You could let them paractice at home, by turning it into a little game, with perhaps a reward sticker for each time they they succeed. (Praise every effort, though, even if they don't manage it at first, and don't turn it into a chore or they'll dig their heals in). Then, so many stickers accrued (say 5), a small treat they will enjoy, e.g. a visit to the park or something else you know they will enjoy.
I taught 5 year olds for many years and some children got it quite quickly, others struggled for quite some time, beyond age 5, but it does eventually come for the majority of children. As many posters are saying though, young children and coats - they are anathema to them, they'd rather be off playing! Somehow, they don't feel the cold the way we do.

Old enough to fasten them themselves and should be encouraged to do so,my 4year old grandson insists he can do everything for himself, especially jackets,many a minute spent watching him struggle with zips etc when younger but he always managed it eventually and now no problems at all,I used to be so tempted to help him get dressed etc but he rebuked me every time,very independent is Kai .

It has to be really bitterly cold before my Gdd (nearly 4) wants her coat done up, or wants to wear it at all. Gds (2 1/2) is much the same.
I think many young children just don't feel the cold - at least not like I do!
However I recall being much the same well into my 20s and very likely more.
I recall someone saying that you know you're finally properly grown up when you wrap up warm without your mother telling you to.
How true!

I do up my 8;yr old DGS’s up but I don’t blame him for not doing it as it is a really difficult zip! I struggle! If I don’t he likes to wear it with low at the back with the sleeves sort of at half mast, a bit like a stole!

Doing up coats with full length zips is not easy; I would show them how to put the fastener into the holder and leave them to do it up, but it is not as easy as fastening buttons because you are fiddling round at the bottom of the jacket where you can't see properly. They could of course, learn to do each other's zip fasteners up!

I volunteer in a primary school. None of the children even want to put their coats on at home time, never mind doing them up. They go out with them hanging off their shoulders and all sorts.

Our 9 year old comes out without a coat ,its rolled up and in her bag ,beside her cardigan...her usual answer is "its not cold granny" I well remember wearing sandals in midwinter when I was in my teens and I'm still here at 65 so I wouldn't worry about it too much .

Are they cold or are transferring your feeling of cold to them? I was always cautious about assuming how cold children are after rushing my (fairly young, end of February born) baby to the doctor with an all-over rash, and after I'd unwrapped him the doctor looked at me and diagnosed heat rash! This was a child who at the first sight of sun would strip off his t-shirt. I don't think children who are fit, healthy and active feel the cold anywhere near as much as we think they should

Forget coats once they go to high school too, my GD often walks to school in just her blazer in deepest Winter unless her Mum catches her before she leaves home and then her coat is squashed into her bag before she gets to school. They just don’t feel the cold, there are kids walking past my door right now in shirt sleeves on their way to school and it’s freezing out.
Carry on doing them up while they still wearing them lol.

You are lucky they will actually put them on! At that age, my grandson, and his male friends, wanted no contact with the coat other than to have the hood on their head and dash around like some demented superhero! Even now, at twelve, he is loathe to wear a jacket even in the coldest weather.

Welcome Bellesgran. My two DGDs (10 and 8), always come out with their coats undone. When they were younger I used to do them up, but they do it themselves now.

At 5 I would expect them to be capable of zipping up their own jackets. Not doing it has nothing to do with competence. School's out, they are in a hurry to get out of school see Grandma/get home, they are too busy and rushing around to stop, stand still and zip their jackets.

Mind you I would expect to just say. 'Come on now, zip your jackets up' and have them do it.

I wouldn’t worry too much when they get a bit older they won’t be wearing coats at all?
They are quite old enough to do them up themselves although it might be a bit tricky getting the start bit, but I bet if you said ‘Who can do their jacket up first’ they d be done in a flash kids love a bit of competition

Welcome bellesgran.

I walk home with them too so they need jackets on and zipped if its unpleasant outside. I would drive them but I don't see the need as we are only minutes from the school and I believe the exercise will do them good, plus, my car won't start at the minute, I went to go shopping earlier but it just cranked.

Yes that's what I meant.

I meant regarding zipping the jackets .