Dress up box staple: fairy wings! (paired with pajamas)
Young Julian is fond of beads and Holden loves to dance around with scarves, but it took me a while to set up a dress-up bin. I pressured myself to unveil it all at once, but it was easier to do little by little with a free visor here and an old flip phone there adding silly hats and leaky goggles as they came into my possession. I inherited some really sweet costumes eventually, too.
Having a treasure trove of costume fun means that I can sneak a few extra minutes wasting time on Facebook quizzes.
Build your own kick-ass dress-up bin:
- Headgear: hats, helmets, and wigs
- Fairy wings
- One fancy dress
- A tutu or two
- All the glasses and goggles
- So many beads
A few store-bought costumes are fun in the dress-up bin
Older children (4-5 year olds) enjoy playing dress-up with clothes but toddlers normally haven’t developed enough dexterity to manage this game. What they can handle is beads, bracelets and hats. Keep a full-length mirror nearby so they can see themselves wearing the accessories.
The size of your collection will dictate whether you can house it in clear bins, a hanging closet rod (aka garment rack on wheels), or some shoe organizing pouches. We think having supplies visible encourages their frequent use.
If your tot is still very oral/nibbly it would be wise to choose beads that have an embedded string (like Mardi Gras bead) rather than strung beads which could become a choking hazard if the string breaks.
All the goodies to inspire dress-up creativity
To be totally honest, I always loved the dress-up bin more than my toddlers and preschoolers did. But whenever they got out the goodies, I fell in love with the idea all over again. And don’t worry if you have one pair of wings too many: dress-up items are infinitely hand-me-down-able!
We have a dress up box that my s-mom created for Julian. It is wonderful because it represents our whole family as everyone has been contributing. Costumes that my siblings wore in school performances. an old tie of my dad’s, and clogs that my grandparents brought me from Holland when I was about five years old. It’s a great place to toss that freebie apron you received at a tradeshow or a purse your mother in law bought you that’s too ugly to be used.