After having six children, you would think my vintage yellow trunk would be overflowing with Ninja Turtle costumes, princess dresses, matching Mary Janes and Power Ranger gear. At one point, I couldn’t even close the lid. Ready to accommodate my kids’ vivid imaginative play, the trunk burst at the seams with dress-up gear like police uniforms and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz red sparkly shoes. Now that my youngsters are moving into a more realistic stage of play, I’ve cleaned out all but a few of the costumes for future grandbabies. But the memories linger, and so do all the benefits of imaginative play. Certainly I’ve bought plenty of costumes for trick-or-treating and party events over the years, but I’ve invested more in gathering wardrobe for the creative, developmental and imaginative aspects of dress-up. I love how dress-up nurtures the imagination, develops critical thinking, explores problem-solving, expands vocabulary and helps us imitate behavior by observation.
We live in a society fixated on educating our children at a young age. Although that is important, we must remember that learning and play complement one another. Children need to learn how to process their emotions, and parents play a very intricate part in helping them explore through play. There are some things you just cannot learn in a book or computer; you must play to open those neuropathways! Rudolf Steiner, an early 20th century thinker, once said, “The need for imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility—these are the three forces which are the very nerve of education.” What a powerful statement on the importance of the multifaceted approach to education through imaginative play!
Do you have your costume on yet? Take a few minutes and think back to when you were young. We all have that one photo of when we were little ones, standing in our daddy’s loafers or cowboy boots or walking around in our mama’s high heels three times too big. Learning to walk in someone else’s shoes is a concept I wish we could practice today! Oh, the empathy we would have for one another! As parents, we have a duty to strengthen the emotional muscles of our children as they grow. It’s good for us to realize that our children begin dressing up before they can speak!
I have had a pirate living under my roof for about a year or so. I’ve also had a policeman with paper handcuffs, a sleeping beauty, a cosmetologist, a Lego master builder, a few cowboys and a cowgirl. One of my favorite places to take my little kids was a local children’s museum that had a learning-through-play interactive experience where youngsters could work in a diner, take care of patients in a hospital, perform a puppet show, deliver mail or work in a grocery store. They were able to dress up, explore and play with others. They loved it! So what are the best imaginative play items to have on hand at home in your old trunk? Let’s explore that together.
*Have you ever been asked what you would like to be when you grow up? Clothing and props typical of everyday heroes allow children to role-play, problem-solve and interact with others, fostering empathy for the community and society. Secondhand stores, thrift stores and garage sales are excellent ways to find costumes for the play! Stethoscopes, dad’s old dress shirts for little white lab coats, firefighter hats and helmets, pillowcases for nurse’s aprons, plastic handcuffs and hammers, Velcro bandages and sunglasses are some manipulatives for kids to use in role-play.
*Superman once said, “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Superheroes represent the strength, courage and bravery that humans aspire to. They come in all shapes and sizes and have many attributes, such as endurance, speed, perseverance, strength and skill. During great adversity, superheroes have the choice to use their powers for the good of humanity, even when tempted by destruction, greed and control. Many superheroes overcome difficulties and aspire to be their best to edify others. Pick up fabric remnants or use sheets on hand for capes, spandex clothing to fit snugly, a body suit, tall boots or socks, or masks. Be creative and teach kids they can even make up their own superheroes!
*Reach for the stars! Dreaming is vital for kids and a form of their imagination—and imagination is an excellent way to explore experiences currently out of reach. Outer space is a boundless imaginary destination for boys and girls. They can explore planets, stars and rockets in homemade space suits. My husband had some dryer hose tubing left over from some laundry room work, and I think my 9-year-old played with that dryer hose for weeks! He made a space suit, duct-taping the tubing to his body suit like an astronaut. It was fantastic to see him create! Have you ever seen a rocket pack made with 2-liter bottles wrapped in aluminum foil? Constructing homemade space suits is so entertaining and captivating for kids!
*“Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living; it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope,” the grand Dr. Seuss once said. Bringing the pages of books to life through imaginative costumed play engages that oh-so-necessary skill of reading. Read Anne of Green Gables, Magic School Bus, Where’s Waldo, Dr. Suess, Harry Potter, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings, Mary Poppins … the list goes on … then bring life to the pages of books through dress-up. When my children were little, some moms would get together and swap costumes over coffee and blueberry muffins. Once I saw a mom swap red sparkly slippers for a Lord of the Rings wig. Oh, the places we will go and the things we do for our children!
*“To be or not to be, that is the question,” William Shakespeare penned. Being fully immersed—or dressed—in character makes a deep impression on little people. I still vividly recall a Thanksgiving dinner in elementary school, youngsters gathered around a cafeteria table with handmade woven construction paper placemats. I dressed as a Pilgrim with a black paper hat and velvet coat three sizes too big from my dad’s closet. History is a priceless gift that lets us take a peek into the future while preserving the past. Role-play is an excellent teaching tool for children, allowing them to engage with history through texture. Clothing can communicate the purpose, periods, occupations, cultural markers, environment, function and character background, so bring Cleopatra, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, King Arthur, Medieval knights, Mozart and even Sally Ride to life!
As Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
Elizabeth Hammond has as many linen aprons and wool slippers as her children have costumes. She encourages dreaming nightly by candlelight and role-plays what her life might look like as a homesteader. She lives in a tiny cottage in North Overland Park with her six children and one Mississippi boy husband.