Dress up as a part of imaginative play is an vital part of early childhood education. Every preschool classroom and child's home should be well stocked with quality costumes and props for pretend play!
There are so many benefits of dress up play for young children! As kids experiment with becoming different characters they are solidifying their own individual identities and learning what make each person unique. They have the opportunity to role play emotions and situations that may otherwise be intimidating to them. Pretend play provides lots of authentic practice in communication skills, social relationships, and taking turns. We love Costume Express outfits for kids for our everyday dress up!
As a former kindergarten teacher and a mom, I value regular opportunities to dress up as a valuable part of our children's development. Kids learn best as they play so we were thrilled at the opportunity to try out outfits from Costume Express to inspire imaginative play scenarios for our little ones!
I allowed our preschooler and toddler to choose their own costumes online from Costume Express. There were so many unique and fun choices that I wanted to buy them each several options! E chose a peacock and D picked an elephant. Our kids are interested in both of these animals so I knew the costumes would continue to inspire them to act out what they are learning through play!
Costume Express shipped the outfits directly to us. Immediately upon unpacking the costumes I could tell they were durable and well made. This is a priority for us as the dress up clothing in our home is always available for everyday imaginative play. The sizes were accurate and fit perfectly but if you are unsure returns are hassle free through Costume Express.
See more of our Pretend Play Ideas here!
Our preschooler can get her costumes on and off almost independently which is important for any busy teacher and mom! Our toddler's elephant costume comes in several pieces which I love because on hot days he is happy enough to wear the head piece and tuck the velcro tail in his shorts. The full adorable costume also includes the gray body suit and foot covers that easily slip over shoes or cover bare feet! Costume Express really for the details covered with these creative outfits!
We love to combine quality costume choices with other pretend play props. Above D is being the daddy elephant to his baby puppet elephant. It was beneficial for him to play this adult role and parent the baby elephant. He used a lot of phrases he hears from us, explained rules in his own words, and comforted his baby. It really shows that he is absorbing what we say and do everyday when you see it reflected through pretend play!
We organize our dress up costumes from Costume Express in drawers that our children can access any time for pretend play fun! I know these will last until Halloween and beyond, too, both because they are durable and I know our kids won't tire of them for years.
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My girl would LOVE another princess dress-- apparently we can't hae enough! Princes Sophia is a favorite!
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