Taking the time to create a fully stocked dress-up box is well worth the investment. A dress-up box doubles as the perfect rainy day activity and a way for kids to flex their creativity. It doesn’t take much to get started – a few old scarves is enough for toddlers! But if you want to go deluxe, here are a few tips to inspire you.
1. Make it into a family project.
The end goal of creating a dress-up box for the kids is to provide them with hours of free entertainment. You can get started by making a project out of building the box itself. Bust out an old cardboard box, along with magazines, glue, and scissors. If your children are old enough, let them cut out magazine images to decorate the box with. If they’re younger, let them get creative with crayons or help you choose the images to cut and paste.
2. Give new life to old adult clothing and accessories.
One of the best ways to stock your dress-up box is by going through your own closet. Ask family members to donate costume jewelry, old hats, or novelty ties. Short dresses can be added to the box, serving as evening gowns for little girls. Suit jackets, scarves, gloves, and handbags will add to the bounty. Small hands might have difficulty with clothing that involves buttons or small fasteners, so replace these with Velcro if you’re able to. Don’t forget the shoes – as all moms know, there’s nothing toddlers love more than slipping their feet into mommy’s shoes and clomping around!
3. Recycle old Halloween costumes.
Start with the regular clothing, and then move on to the funny fancy dress and toys. Do you have bits and pieces of old Halloween costumes lying around? These are prime candidates for your dress-up box! You can also put in accessories like toy doctor kits or other work-themed accessories that will help encourage children to play make-believe.
4. Get crafty.
Branded pieces like a Funidelia Spiderman costume are great for dressing up throughout the year, but you can also create some of your own costumes too. Simple pieces like capes, animal masks, or fairy wings are easy to make. Take a look at Pinterest for ideas if you want to find more projects that you can do with the kids. Remember that the pieces inside the box don’t have to be overly elaborate. Children can transform the simplest objects into something else when they’re playing a game. An old polyester scarf could become a bridal gown, or a plastic cup a witch’s cauldron.
Remember that the dress-up box can be an ongoing project, growing along with your children. As they grow older take out the pieces that no longer fit, and replace them with new and exciting items that are age-appropriate. Dressing up and role playing helps children step into the adult world safely, trying out different points of view and professions as they play. Help fuel their adventure with a magical dress-up box!
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