Every parent wants to inspire a child’s imagination. It’s hard to do this with a lot of today’s battery-operated toys and video games. Sometimes, it seems that games and toys encouraging fantasy role-playing have fallen to the wayside. There are ways to encourage creativity, however, take for example this charming idea of a gift for young girl, the dress-up trunk.
A young girl’s dress-up trunk is a wonderful gift for inspiring creative and imaginative play. What little lady doesn’t dream of being a beautiful princess or glamorous movie star? With the right items, the sky is the limit.
The first item you’ll need is the trunk itself. If you want a real trunk, you can scour thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets or antique stores to find something inexpensive that might need only some minor repairs or cleaning. If you’re handy with a hammer and have the materials, you can also build one from wood. If you can’t find a trunk, and building one is out of the question, visit your local discount store for a large plastic or rubber bin with a cover or an inexpensive free-standing wardrobe. It’s not so much the trunk that’s important, but the items inside.
The above mentioned thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales are not only a good place to search for potential trunks, they’re also the best places to find items to put inside the trunk. Since you want to do this as inexpensively as possible, any place that sells second-hand goods is perfect for this. Look in your attic and ask family members to do the same. You may find some long-discarded garments that are still wearable. When it comes to finding clothes and other items, you're limited only by your imagination.
When shopping for the contents of the trunk, try to be on the lookout for pieces to make a little girl feel special and grown up, items like sparkly blouses, feathery boas and long flowing skirts. Garments made of satins and silks look and feel especially luxurious. Shirts and jackets with furry collars or sewn on beads and sequins are sure to be a hit and a ballerina tutu will have your young dancer pirouetting around the house. Don’t worry that these garments might be too large, that’s all part of the fun, and she won’t grow out of them as quickly.
Perhaps, you can find some older pieces as well. Your little girl will love taking a trip into the past with a hoop skirt, a puffy sleeved Victorian era dress, a flapper outfit or a poodle skirt. Don’t forget the accessories, either. Look for clunky beaded necklaces and bracelets, rhinestone studded tiaras, belts, sashes and other costume jewelry. You may even be able to find an old bridal veil. Old pocket books, purses, low-heeled shoes and boots will complete an ensemble. Even sunglasses or reading glasses with the lenses removed can become fun dress-up items.
Dress up clothes don’t have to make young girls look like princesses or movie stars either. A lab coat can turn a child into a doctor or veterinarian, uniforms such as police officers, fire fighters or military fatigues can make your child a hero for a day and maybe start her thinking about her own career. A briefcase and suit jacket can inspire your youngster to be an attorney or accountant. Add some practical outfits for a young teacher and don’t forget to add your own clothes. Search your closets for items you don’t wear any more. What little girl doesn’t want to be just like Mom?
Perhaps you can inspire a make-believe visit to another land by finding items from other cultures such as saris, sarongs, hula skirts or kimonos. Old Halloween costumes shouldn’t be ruled out either. Maybe, your child would like to dress as an animal or super hero. Encourage this by adding floppy ears or a second-hand cape to the dress up trunk. And don’t forget the most important item, hats. A hat will inspire any outfit and these can be found almost anywhere. Construction hats, witch hats, sailor hats, fire and police hats, wide brimmed floppy hats, bowlers and straw hats will be a welcome addition to your trunk.
Your child has an active imagination. Why not inspire it with a dress-up trunk. Not only will you be offering her hours of creative playtime, you may be inspiring her future as well.
