Make Magic: Create a Dress Up Box

Little T dressed up as Sleeping Beauty the whole day after watching the play. Her gown is a hand-me-down two times over.

 
Playing pretend is one of the greatest joys of childhood. Nothing can be as magical as imagining yourself to be a princess, a bride, or a mermaid — yes, my daughter is such a girl. Seemingly simple, pretend play actually works on several levels of a child’s development: social, emotional, language, and cognitive.

Try listening to a pretend princess and you’ll hear the words castle, sword, horse, and maybe a knight instead of a prince. Acting out different feelings while in character helps a child explore emotions and presents many opportunities to think and create her own plots.

Here are four easy steps to make pretend play even more magical:
1. Get any box and clean it up to be your child’s Dress Up Box
2. Ask relatives and friends for hand-me-down costumes from their children’s school plays etc… don’t be shy now!
3. Get your hubby’s old neckties, ribbons from past Christmas presents, hats, bags, etc. Go crazy! Your child will surprise you with the stories and characters she will come up with even with the most ratty accessories.
4. Declare a Dress Up Day and let your child choose a costume to wear the whole day.

Have fun and remember to keep adding to your Dress Up Box!

Make magic!