Dress up is so not limited to princess costumes!
If you've seen Bear lately you've probably noticed his Wonder Pets! cape, monkey costume, or the one that is either a squirrel or a cat. We spent one night building a "fly boat", another afternoon making Diego's animal rescue center, and one morning (very early I should add) making a fort/playhouse.
I know that coming up with ideas for pretend play can be hard- so I thought I'd list some of my favorite ideas/tips to get your kids thinking creatively. Turns out once they start- it's really hard to stop!
-dress up with them!!!!! (i don't know if Bear has ever thought anything is funnier than mom wearing a cape)
-use a favorite show or movie (one playdate all the boys dressed up like vikings and fought dragons like in the movie, how to train your dragon)
-use grown up clothes. dad's hats or shoes, mom's scarf. you get the idea
-find a good tea set (boy or girl) and use it to have snacks, make dinner etc. I like eco-toys tea set. It's food and dishwasher safe so you can actually use it! (you can find it on amazon.com, just search eco toys tea set)
-don't forget the thrift store! search garage sales for barely worn halloween costumes. there is absolutely no reason to buy pricey costumes new. the more stuff you reuse the better!
-keep dress up clothes/toys accessible. Bear's tea set is on a shelf in the kitchen to use when I'm making dinner. His halloween costumes are in the closet where he can reach. We leave at least one fort/box open for play at all times.
-use the internet to find cool ideas. Nick Jr. has great printables (I found a template for a cape and the Wonder Pets! emblem.) Disney.com also has some cool stuff.
-music helps so much! I got the soundtrack for How to Train Your Dragon and all you have to do is put it on for him to transport himself to another world :) Find theme songs, dress up like rock stars and jam out. Pull out the face paint on a Wednesday afternoon.
-the whole idea is to have fun. it shouldn't be perfect or pulled together. make it messy. silly. fun.
it's so worth it no matter how old you are!
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