The moment we saw pictures of Kerstin's playroom, it was love at first sight. Anne and I were especially smitten with the dress-up area (don't you think that kid-height mirror on the wall is darling and brilliant?!). We both tucked the idea away hoping to garner some dress-ups between now and Christmas, and gift our children some props for imaginative play. With so many post-Halloween clearance sales going on right now, we thought this would be a great time to write about this and put the idea on your radar.
We e.mailed Kerstin to ask how/where she acquired so many fantastic dress-ups and what tips she could share for creating an awesome dress-up area. We were so tickled by her generous response, we couldn't wait to share it at Bloom!
Here's what she had to say:
-Look around your house for items first. Do you have old scarves, belts, hats that you
don’t use anymore? Ask family members and friends if they have anything they would
like to donate to your collection.
-Keep your eyes out. There are items such as animal masks and gloves often in the $1
bins and Target and Joann’s.
-Gather all the crowns, jewelry, make believe stuff and put them all in one spot.
-Search thrift stores, store clearances, after Halloween clearance sales! (Hurry!!)
-Keep dress up items accessible and let your child imagine away! It is a lot of fun to see
their little minds in action.
Where to find dress up clothes:
-Imaginarium makes great quality dress ups. Find some deals on ebay!
-yard sales
-craigslist (search for old dance costumes too!)
-thrift stores
-Disney Store clearance
-Costco (usually around this time of year they have a dress up box and Disney princess shoes
pack for less than $20)
-Joann’s and Target’s $1 bins (animal masks, and tea party gloves for example)
-make your own
Dress Up Must Haves:
-purses
-bandana
-hats
-old cell phones
-umbrella
-belts
-shoes
-wands
-apron
-scarves
-jewelry
-sunglasses
-gloves
-dresses
-old sports jerseys
-Police and firemen costumes
-tutus
-wings
-cowboy/girl costumes
-Halloween costumes
Other ideas:
-Doctor’s kit (I love seeing my daughter care for others)
-feather boa at Joann’s or Michaels (snag a couple with 40% off coupons)
-tea party set
-dishes and play food
-cowboy boots
Aren't those great tips? And such a thorough list of items to be on the lookout for. Thanks so much, Kerstin!
Many of those things might already be lurking around your home, and many of the others could easily be sewn or hand made. With a little forethought and creativity you could put together a smashing collection of dress-ups for not much money at all!
3 comments:
Fun stuff! I'm glad you like our playroom. Thanks for featuring me!
What fun ideas!
Just a note on the cell phone, make sure you remove the sim card. If the phone is charged your child can accidentally call 9-1-1 even if the phone is deactivated.
i have a house full of boys... their favorite dress ups are beards.
Post a Comment