Does your preschooler have a dress-up box? It’s time to start! The dress up box is a favorite at our house, where pretend play is big these days.
How can you stock a dress-up box? The thrift store is the first stop. Just after Halloween is an excellent time to find fabulous former Halloween costumes at low prices. You can find everyday, “mom’s clothes” glamour there too. I’m talking sequins and purses and such. Of course, in the men’s section there are fabulous hats and wool sweaters that you can shrink in the wash to little person size. Look for accessories, since they’re easy to put on and take off.
Old Halloween costumes are also a must for the dress-up bin. We make costumes that are a little large, because they need to fit over cool-weather clothing. Then they are good for a year or so afterwards in the dress-up bin. Capes, hats, masks and all sorts of goodies have come to us from old Halloween costumes.
We also love, love, love play silks! What is a play silk? It’s a piece of silk cloth that you can dye with Koolaid. Usually they run about five dollars for a smaller one, or you can get giant ones that are good for playhouses or long capes.
Then there are the real mom and dad and grandparent castoffs. You can get these from relatives or find them at garage sales. If you have a beaten-up old purse or hat, what better use for it than to donate it to a preschooler’s stash? I find that bags and purses are big winners in our dress-ups.
All of these goodies can be disguised in an adult-friendly trunk or chest. Once you close the lid, no one will be able to tell what’s inside, and you can use it as a coffee table!
Do you have a dress-up box in your home?