Having a dress up box around the house for your children can help encourage more imaginative playtime. Kids love to imitate and pretend to be others and a dress up tote can be one of the best ways to support this creativity.
It doesn't have to be expense to create a box full of dress up items. Start by putting their old Halloween costumes in there. Additional costumes can be purchased inexpensively at post-Halloween clearance sales. Thrift shops, garage sales, and consignment shops are more great places to buy cheap used Halloween costumes that are perfect for dress up play. Check your local dollar store for items that work as well. You may find doctor's toys, pirate dress up gear, and glitzy tiaras and jewelry there.
At a lose for ideas when it comes to what to include in the dress up box for your child? Here's a few ideas:
- Some scrubs, a surgical mask and a doctor's kit.
- Firemen and Policeman hats and accessories
- A chalkboard and school "supplies" for playing teacher
- Crowns and jewels for playing prince or princess
- Costumes of their favorite cartoon characters. Dora, Diego, Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear and Woody, and the Disney Princesses, among others, all have Halloween costumes honoring them.
- Animal masks and tails. Kids will have fun pretending they are animals by putting on a pig snout or a dog mask.
- Pirate gear. An eye patch, hook "hand", a toy treasure chest, some "gold" coins, and pirate hat can certainly encourage some imaginative pirate play. Argh!
- Fairy wings and a wand are perfect for playing the fairy godmother.
- Superhero costumes and accessories are another great addition to the dress up tote.
- A tool belt and some tools for playing Mr. or Ms. Fix-It.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to playing dress up. Even a small box full of dress up items can inspire hours of play.
Rebecca Johnson is a work at home mom who enjoys writing in her free time. Some of her many works include a site about the best toy vacuum cleaners and a buyer's guide to choosing a toy spring horse.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
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