If you have preschoolers, then you need a dress-up box. Young kids have lively imaginations. And a great to help them use their imaginations and expand their minds is to let them dress up. Dressing up lets them become anyone they want to be. Whether it’s a fairy princess, a cowboy or a dragon, if they can imagine it, they can be it. Besides that, dressing up provides kids with hours of creative fun. Read this informative article and find out how to put together and maintain a dress-up box for your kids.
1. Get a Box
You can use just a plain cardboard box, but I’ve found that a plastic storage tub holds up better for a dress-up box. Make sure the container you choose is big enough. Keep in mind that the clothing will be tossed in and dug through when your kids are busy playing. I purchased a tub with an easy-open lid at Big Lots for a few bucks. I considered using an old suitcase, but little ones don’t always have the dexterity to open latches. That and I didn’t want kids’ fingers to get pinched.
2. Fill the Dress-Up Box Up
Start filling the box with interesting articles of old clothing you have on hand. These can include shoes and slippers- the shinier or sparkly the better. Fancy dresses, suit coats, shirts, shawls and parts of uniforms (military, nurse, police, et cetera) work well. Accessories like neckties, hats, gloves, bandanas, purses and sunglasses also make fun props. Use your imagination when you look at an item to determine if your kids will use it. A small blanket can be turned into a superhero cape, for example.
If you need more items for your kids’ dress-up box, ask family members, neighbors and friends for donations. Visit local thrift shops, dollar stores and yards sales to add to the collection. Besides articles of clothing and accessories, look for other fun items your kids can play dress-up with such as costume jewelry.
Note: Wash all the items before you place them in your kids’ dress-up box.
3. Maintain the Dress-Up Box
Every now and then, to keep the box interesting for your kids, go through and remove clothes, accessories and things they don’t play with much. Add new items to the dress-up box to spark their interest and keep their imaginations alive.
Also, empty the box on a regular basis and clean the items. You can usually launder clothes. Check their care tags for specific instructions. Wash off accessories and other items with a cloth and a mild solution of a household cleanser in warm water. Rinse each item well and dry them with a towel, or air-dry them. To avoid mold and mildew, make sure all of the items are completely dry before you put them back in the dress-up box.
Resources
http://www.pregnancy.org/article/lets-make-dress-box
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/diy-dressup-box-cheap.htm
Kassidy Emmerson
