Dressup play isn't all fun and games: it also gives children the opportunity to experiment with feelings that they might not feel comfortable expressing in real life and to practice their problem-solving skills.
What You'll Need:
- An old suitcase to store your child's dressup clothes
- Anything and everything that could inspire a child's imagination!
What to Do:
- Go on an in-home treasure hunt. Clean out your closets and drawers, zeroing in on objects that would make great dressup clothes for your child: old nightgowns, party dresses, sweaters, and so on. Don't forget to keep an eye out for fun props, too: after all, you can't expect your diva-in-training to make her party debut sans handbag and high heels, now can you?
- Turn your child's Halloween costume into dressup clothes. Rather than banishing your child's Halloween costume to the basement, let your child have fun wearing his Halloween costumes all year round.
- Hit the local thrift store to see what types of second-hand treasures you can dig up. If you're lucky, you'll stumble across costume jewelry, old hats, feather boas, and other vintage paraphernalia.
- Make a trip to the dollar store to round out your dressup collection. It's a great place to pick up inexpensive props like toy hats (construction workers' hats, firefighters' hats,
police officers' hats, and so on); plastic dishes (inexpensive picnic sets work particularly well); fake beards and wigs; plastic sunglasses; and so on. - Have fun making some props and costumes of your own-like tinfoil-covered fairy wings or a homemade prince or princess' crown.
