How to Set Up a Dress Up Corner
Create a dress up corner to ignite your little one’s imagination. These tips will help you set up a fabulous dress up corner.
Why Have a Dress Up Corner
Endless Possibilities
With the ability to change outfits and props, your little one is only as limited as their imagination.
Open-ended pieces (glasses, hats, play silks, blankets, etc.) are the key to getting your little one to use their imagination to dream up different costumes.
Role Playing
Role-playing can be taken to the next level when littles can dress the part. Creating a dress up corner will allow your preschooler to get into character.
There are many excellent perks to little one role-playing (being empathetic, taking turns, thinking through scenarios, to name a few).
New Vocabulary
New characters and roles mean opportunities for new vocabulary. Learning about different professions, the tools of the job, and adjectives describing things in the scene are wonderful ways to acquire new vocabulary.
Cognitive Development
Remembering scenarios, thinking through problems, and figuring out how to make a cape or a crown are great ways to stretch your preschooler’s brain in a fun way.
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Things To Include in a Dress Up Corner
Everyday Items
Stocking a dress up corner doesn’t have to break the bank. The most used items in our dress up corner are scarfs, play silks, hats, gloves, and random blankets.
Accessories
Add some costume jewelry, crowns, and purses to your dress up corner to allow your little one to accessorize their new outfits.
You can add hair ties, a brush, and clips if applicable.
Oh, shoes!! Don’t forget the shoes! Little ones may run to grab their shoes or boots from the rack, or you can set out “inside play shoes” for them to use.
Mirror
While getting all glamorous, little ones will need a way to see how fabulous they look! Play mirrors and vanities can be used.
Dollar stores often have small compacts or handheld mirrors if you would go with that route instead.
There are also full-length mirrors that are often cheap around the time kids head off to college and are perfect for a dress-up corner.
Bins and Hooks
You’ll want a way to organize all of these goodies. Drawers and hooks that are labeled with pictures are great ways to keep the dress up corner organized (hopefully 😉).
Masks and Glasses
Let your little one change their identity using masks and glasses. Both animal and character masks will be a fun addition to any dress up corner.
Costumes for Different Professions
Print out some community helper hats to easily (and quickly) add to your dress up corner.
The hats easily pull the rest of the costumes together.
Pretend Tools and Props
Different trades call for different tools or props. Keep some random trinkets in one of your drawers so your little one can use them while using the dress up corner.
Spoons, bowls, notepads, and toilet paper tubes can all be used as costumes and in dramatic play scenarios.
Creating a Dress Up Corner
Help to boost your preschooler’s cognitive development through dress up play. Setting up a dress up corner is a fun and easy way to give them hours to use their imagination.
