There are several reasons why children enjoy dressing up and pretending. In dressing up to become another person or creature, a child can begin to imagine how it feels to be someone else. In their fantasy play, children are able to control situations in which they would normally be powerless and this helps to build confidence.
If you are really at your wits end as to a theme for a party, a dressing up party can be a lot of fun and won’t break the bank. You can ask friends and family to donate old clothes, shoes and jewellery and any other accessories they do not use anymore. Remember to have clothes for both boys and girls.
Some things that you can collect:
- Hats, bags, belts, gloves, especially elbow gloves, wigs and false beards, fake mustaches
- Old jewellery, slides, bows, ribbons, spectacle frames, sunglasses, fake flowers, neckties
- Scarves, stoles, shawls, aprons, petticoats, nightdresses, old evening gowns or cocktail dresses, an old wedding veil
- Lengths of material, such as sheets, bedspreads, towels, tablecloths and curtains. These are useful for making cloaks, saris and togas, and also playhouses and tents
- Shoes - it is best to choose shoes which will fit over the children’s own shoes. High heels are not very safe for under-fives.
You can store everything together in a large box or laundry basket, but keep small items such as jewellery in a separate container. A mirror, preferably a full- length one, is fairly essential for dressing-up.
Games and activities:
Let the children take turns to dress up and then the other guests have to guess who or what they represent.
Make jewellery by painting pieces of macaroni and other types of pasta which have a hole in them. When they are dry, thread them on shirring elastic to make necklaces, bracelets and ear-rings.
Adapt hats by decorating them with things like feathers, tissue paper, badges, milk bottle tops or cork.
Simple hats can be made from card or thick paper. Remember that a basic cone shape can be very adaptable. Bands of different depths make different styles of hats. Scarves or tea towels can also be used for different styles.
Hair can be made from wool, cotton wool, raffia,string and even woodshavings. Glue them to a mask or inside the rim of a hat. For curly hair, unravel wool from an old jumper or cul thin strips of paper around a pencil.
Beards and moustaches can easily be made by glueing the pretend hair to a cardboard or fabric base. Make holes in either side and fasten around the head in the same way as a mask.
Other odds and ends that will keep the guests busy and provide a lot of fun:
- False teeth (use orange peel to make these)
- Spectacles (made from pipe cleaners)
- Binoculars (made from old toilet rolls)
- Telescopes (made from a kitchen roll)
- Various types of boots (decorated wellingtons)
- Broken leg (wellington with strips of old sheet wrapped around it)
Face painting:
Discarded make-up or a packet of face paints provides a lot of entertainment. To clean them off afterwards, use cold cream and cotton wool followed by soap and water.
Fashion Show and Photo Shoot:
The highlight of a dressing up party is surely the fashion show and photo shoot. Let the guests dress in their favourite outfits, fold an old sheet in three or use old towels to form the catwalk. Place chairs on either side for the guests and judges, play some lively music and have your camera ready to take pictures of every child as they strut their stuff.
While they enjoy a last cold drink after the fashion show, you can print the photos and each guest can take his or her own photo as well as the jewellery and other things they have made, home as party favours.
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