How to Teach a Toddler to Put on a Jacket: The Montessori Coat Flip

As a trained Montessori teacher and now doing Montessori at home with our twin boys, we work to support independence and freedom of movement whenever possible. It can be a lot of work getting ready to go outside in the colder months and I have just the trick to help you and your toddler make those moments fun and empowering. In this post, I’ll share my number one toddler hack for getting on their jacket, the Montessori coat flip!

How to Introduce the Montessori Coat Flip

I have a small phrase for you so you never forget how to flip the Montessori coat. Tag to toes, hands in holes, over your nose! In 3 easy steps, your little one will be so proud to take their coat from lying on the floor to being completely on their body.

Step 1: Tag to Toes

Turn the coat so the tag is closest to your child’s feet. Initially, and even still after a few weeks of practicing, I have to help my boys get their coats set up on the floor so they will have success. You can put their coat on a low hook at their level so they can help to pull it off and set it on the floor independently. Then help them line the jacket up so the tag is by their toes.

For an older child, they can hold their coat from the top and lay it down on the floor. Keeping their feet facing forward and having the tag by their toes.

Step 2: Hands in Holes

Have your child place their hands in the holes. I find this is easiest done from a seated position or from standing. Initially, I showed my boys from a standing position, now they seem to be able to do it either way without difficulty. You can guide their hands into the holes to support them until they catch on and are ready to do it themselves.

Step 3: Over Your Nose or Flip!

With a big flip motion, they swing the coat up and over their head. This places their coat on their body correctly and easily without any of that twisting and turning we are used to having to do when we think of putting on our jacket. My boys love to have their jackets zipped up, so I will start the zipper and allow them to zip it up the rest of the way.

What Age to Introduce the Montessori Coat Flip?

A young toddler who is stable on their feet is likely ready to learn the Montessori coat flip. It may take a few days of practice to do it independently, but they will catch on. My twins were 21 months old when we introduced the coat flip. They would have likely been able to do it sooner, but it was summer before that, and they weren’t wearing jackets. I’ve seen others introduce it as young as 15 months. If they don’t seem quite ready, wait a few weeks and try again.

Tips for Support Independence

The Montessori coat flip is such a great way to support independence for toddlers and preschoolers. There are other small ways that we can intentionally prepare our home environment to meet our children’s needs. Here are two simple and effective changes you could make to your home to make those getting-out-the-door moments easier and less stressful.

Low Hook

We have set up a Montessori entryway set up in our home. It is one of our most regularly used areas and supports my twins’ need for independence and autonomy so well. In this area, I have hung low hooks for them to hang up their coats on. This allows them to practice the Montessori coat flip. I like using command hooks for these hooks. They can easily be moved higher as they get bigger.

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Small Bench in an Entryway

There are a lot of new skills involved with getting ready to go outside. Zippers, buttons, velcro, socks, hats, mittens, oof! We need to offer a place for our child to sit down to do all of this work. I thrifted a small bench for our Montessori entryway area. You could also get a small chair. If you are using this area with a young toddler, you want it to be a toddler-sized chair. I would recommend the adjustable chairs from Sprout. Use my code “TWINMAMA10” to get 10% off your order! This will grow with your child and is a beautiful, lightweight chair perfect for an entryway area or to use at a low, weaning table.

Other Clothing Items you can “Flip”

After we introduced the coat flip to our boys, it got me thinking, “What other clothing items can they flip on?” We have been able to apply the same three steps to footie pajamas, button-up dress shirts, and zipper vests. The Montessori flip will work with shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas, and vests that have an open front, allowing them to open up the item and put their hands in the holes. My children are delighted when they are quickly and effectively able to get their clothing items on independently. The pride radiates on their face.

I hope you feel confident trying out this new way to show your toddler and preschooler how to get their coat on in three easy steps. This trick helps foster independence and empowers them to do things for themselves.