Dressing Up Box - 2.5 years old...

Pepperoni

Hi,

I'm looking for some ideas for what to put in a dressing up box for a 2.5 year old.

Obviously the more pennies saved for the items going in it the better

Thank you

dandy-candy

I find with a child their imagination makes anything work. My mum had a ghastly sparkly shirt she wore once and hated. It became a wizard cloak for my boys, then a fairy dress for my DD. They had very few "proper" fancy dress costumes

Islandmaid

We used an old wicker trunk from IKEA we picked it up at a car boot sale for £5 still had the labels on - lasted for years - great memories or taking youngest two shopping, DD dressed in fairy outfit with wellies and DS as batman with a tu-tu or similar combinations.

Have a look through freegle or suchlike or local facebay pages you might strike lucky

Pepperoni

Thanks - I've never really witnessed any role play with a dress up box so that's a great help. I keep thinking I'll have to go and buy like a doctors outfit etc but I'm sure there must be cheaper alternatives that are just as good!

FairyPrincessk

The shinier and poofier the better IME. Charity shops are a good place to start, particularly those that have things for £1. Satin party dresses and those faux fur blankets are great as they make fabulous outfits for queens and evil characters who sweep their fur cloaks around them. Elastic waisted skirts are also good as they can be hiked up to become dresses, you can easily tighten the elastic by opening the casing a bit, pulling the elastic out and tying a knot in it. Old floaty nightgowns are great for princesses. if you can find old boots in a charity shop they're great for pirates, cowboys etc. Waistcoats are also excellent as they're worn by pirates an bankers and magicians alike.

If you can sew, then if you can get cheap fabric in car boots, charity shops or on offer there are lots of options. Rather than going for fitted items like you see marketed for specific characters, try to just go with basic shapes and elastic/pull on styles that can go over clothes. The child will supply the story to go with it given half a chance.

Don't forget crowns, magic wands, hats etc.

FairyPrincessk

There is a nice list here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ultimate-dress-up-box-checklist-197222

Islandmaid

Net curtains are another good one, they can be Brides veiles, camouflage netting, snow covered ground, dresses, capes etc

When you go to car boots or jumble sales look at colours and textures not the item, I had an old black and silver lurex dress (very 80's), that was armour for my boys and a really horrid nylon pink nightie was my DD's fav princess dress - ask you friends for old shoes too, any small heel is Cinderella's slipper

elsien

I can remember being seriously annoyed as a child when my brothers got cowboy outfits and I didn't. Ended up making my own by nicking a waistcoat and putting a star on it.
Don't forget belts - good for holsters and tucking things into.

Artytarty

My lot loved just putting hats and scarves on at that stage ,maybe a cape thingy too. As they got older I added an inspector clause au type Mac and a magnifying glass, a few old sparkly dresses and a fake fur.
I adored dressing up, it's a very special time and I think you're great for providing your daughter with this! Enjoy it!

BJV

The dress's from Disney, the outfits are beautiful but a complete waste of money. Old dress's, old shirts, My two loved bits of tinsel, feathers, sparkly stuff. Seamed to be the more un tasteful, the more out of fashion it was the better. We got an old box stuck a cross on it and filled it with old plaster box's and cotton wool gosh still remember Dr trying to help our old lab ( even though there was nothing wrong ) ????. Also for what ever reason the cat toy was a never ending source of fun. Big long thing with feathers. One minute it was a magic wand the next a sword ????

No matter what you put in they will love random items and the amount you spend is no guarantee that they will like it. They will let you know what they like and then you can add to it depending on what they enjoy.

Good luck and enjoy it is a magical time.

indsty

Remember the household stuff too - old cereal boxes, plastic bottles etc are always needed for accessories. Your own old clothes as well as charity shops (great for old sheets, nets, tablecloths, ghastly high heels etc) will soon fill a box. Don't bother paying for "ready made outfits". Maybe some kiddy hats (police, builder etc). Children get much more fun (and education) from making their own.