Dress up has always been a huge deal in our house. It is so amazing to watch the little ones as their imagination comes to life. The smiles and laughter fill the house as they run around in their own magical made up world, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have always encouraged my kids to have an active imagination. Instead of reading a book to them, we will all cuddle up in the dark room and I will begin telling them a story, completely made up, but they are hooked. The dark room allows them to imagine the story how they want. They ask questions and are fully engulfed in the details of the story. Sometimes I tell a story, sometimes we listen to one of them tell it, but either way, imagination is encouraged.
Over the past few weeks, especially since Halloween, my kids have been playing dress-up. They believe that you have to dress up for every occasion now. Now I am not talking about dressing nice, but dressing up as a pretend character. I haven’t dealt with having to go in public with them refusing to take off the dress up yet (knock on wood) but, the first thing my daughter does when she wakes up is walks clumsily to the dress up basket and picks out what she wants to wear.
Unfortunately for my son and his male cousins, I don’t have many male-themed pretend play clothes. Miles doesn’t seem to mind though and actually prefers to wear his wings just like his sisters. So often times, I will see them running through the house flapping the wings and dreaming of flying. I am completely okay with it. I also love how my daughter makes sure that everyone participates in dress up, like she did with her brother in the picture above. A leprechaun hat is totally acceptable as a full outfit for her.
We went through some of my oldest daughters old clothes that my youngest daughter fits into now and she set her eyes on this beautiful green dress with white trimming that she said she was wearing for Christmas. I told her that was a wonderful idea, only to have her quickly ask, “Momma what are you gonna dress up as?” She laughed as I said, well myself silly. She said I needed to dress up as something because that is what we do. When I even tried to correct her, she quickly laughed it off like I was a comedian.
So I turn the keyboard over to the other moms out there that have some experience with pretend clothes. What has your kid surprised you with that they refused to take off?