Dress Up: It’s Much More Than Fun and Games

Dress-up — it’s a part of play that absolutely screams childhood. Don’t we all have fun memories of putting on a special outfit and pretending to be someone —or something— entirely new as a child? Whether your little one is playing princess, superhero, or simply trotting around the house in their grown-up’s new shoes, there are numerous benefits that come into play.

We’ll dive into some of the best things that come from dress-up in the post below.

This is the most obvious benefit, but it’s important to mention nonetheless. Imaginative play helps to strengthen creative thinking, problem-solving, social skills, and more.

By setting out dress-up clothes, you’re inviting your child to spend time working on these important abilities in a fun way.

Think about how much work it is to teach a child to put on and take off their own clothing. With dress-up, kids are working on those very same skills. They may need to get both of their arms through a firefighter’s jacket, or button up a vest. They may be willing to work on dressing skills that just aren’t as fun when they’re putting on their everyday clothes.

Imagine picking up a feathery boa, or placing slippery leather gloves onto your fingers. There are so many textures in dress-up clothes, and each new feeling allows your child a chance to expand their sensory knowledge. 

And one of the most intriguing benefits of sensory play is its ability to build positive nerve connections in the brain — helping kids stimulate learning, reduce fears of new textures and foods, and more.

Dress-up typically leads to kids pretending to be the person their costume or clothing item represents. These role-play experiences help kids gain experience in decision making, taking turns, cooperation, communication, and self-regulation. They can test out new events in a safe space, making them easier to handle when they run into them in real life.

“Look at this stiff blazer with firm, padded shoulders!”

“Have you noticed that people who wear safety vests and hard hats often work in construction sites, near excavators, dump trucks, and cement mixers?”

Whether you’re talking about the clothing itself or the experience the child is pretending to live, there are always opportunities to teach your child new words and meanings while they play dress-up.