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Creating a Dress-Up Clothes Trunk for Your Toddler

Every child can benefit from dress-up and role-play. Read on for tips and suggestions for setting up a dress-up clothes storage trunk for your little one.

Whoever saw a child tired of seeing, of examining in his own way, unfamiliar things? This is the sort of mental nourishment for which he has an unbounded appetite, because it is that food of the mind on which, for the present, he is meant to grow — Charlotte Mason

There’s something so magical about watching a child develop, seeing them try things on their own for the first time. That sort of imagination and independence is worth encouraging. Before she was even two years old, my daughter loved to play dress up. Anything that was remotely wearable became a costume for her. As she grew, the costumes and worlds she built around them became more elaborate.

We’ve talked a great deal about the importance of pretend play and the benefits of many other kinds of open-ended activities. But, for this post, I wanted to focus on the significance of dress-up and how you don’t always need pre-packaged trunk sets to set your child’s imagination soaring!

Playroom Dress Up Storage

There’s a lot to consider when setting up a playroom for your toddler. First, of course, you want to ensure you have plenty of toy storage and that your growing tot will have the accessibility they need to get things for themselves. However, you also want to give yourself the peace of mind that the playroom is safe enough that you don’t need to monitor every second.

The days after a well-attended birthday party aside, everything should have its place—toys in the toy box and dress-up items in their storage trunk. Depending on the extent of your young one’s collection, this could be quite a task! We recommend setting up general areas for each item: jewelry goes in the jewelry box, hats and headbands go in the big wicker basket, props go in the plastic tub, complete outfits go on the hangers, etc. Children tend to be more general organizers, especially tiny ones, and giving them a few clearly defined places they can sort into may save you a few headaches. It will also make it easier for you to clean an area quickly in the event of unexpected company!

Beyond the Princess Dress-Up Trunk

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with an expensive, brand-new Disney Princess costume set or a deluxe Melissa & Doug Princess Costume, your little princess can often get as much out of a sibling’s hand-me-downs as they can from an Amazon Best Selling play set.

A child’s imagination is truly a wonderful thing. I’ve seen children turn a necklace and t-shirt into a Cinderella costume. Anything that is vaguely hoop-shaped can become a tiara for Tiana. If they haven’t been outgrown, little girl dresses can become a ballgown for Belle. If they HAVE been outgrown, they now become Aurora’s peasant dress. Headbands, purses, tutus, dress-up shoes, or even make-up with adult supervision, can turn your child into their version of Elsa, Ariel, Rapunzel, Moana, or even a princess of their own creation. However, it shouldn’t stop there.

Dress Up Isn’t Just for Little Girls

Playing dress-up is a form of imaginative role-play for all children that can help them work on their language skills, boost their problem-solving, and help develop fine motor skills as they figure out all the buttons, belts, and ties to wear their favorite Halloween costume from last year or create something new.

During dress-up play, children often imitate the world around them, trying to replicate it. Whether that’s something out of a fairy tale they’ve been listening to or an adult in their life they’ve been watching, it can be helpful to have a wide variety of items for them to work with.

Storage Options from fawn & forest

Organizing a nursery can be daunting, but fortunately, there are plenty of ways to keep your things organized without sacrificing style. Do not settle for a plain cardboard box or plastic storage bin when you need a storage solution for your little one’s collection of dress-up items. Instead, impart personality into your toddler’s room with modern nursery storage and organization baskets.

fawn&forest has a beautiful collection of nursery storage and organization baskets. We offer cute bins that match your nursery’s theme and neutral color options that can grow with your child.