Little girl dress-up kit ideas?

[fatafelice]

I am making a dress-up kit for my neice for her 2nd bithday and need some more ideas. Please help! Here is what I know I am going to include so far:

tutu
felt tiara/crown
wand
apron (she already has a chef''s hat)

Is there anything else that you all think a toddler would like to play with, that is also safe for her age?

 

[neatfreak]

Honestly, kids that age are super easy and LOVE playing dress up with pretty much anything. You could get some masks or animal ears, things like that are fun. Fairy wings.

 

[LaraOnline]

I think a dress up box is awesome, and will be hit well past her toddler years.
I would include all sorts of funny left overs from your own closet, such as cast-off handbags, long wooden beads (although they probably should be closely supervised in use for a couple of years) wooden bangles, old shoes and the like. Cheap wigs from novelty stores go down a treat, and I would also include a couple of other, non-gender-specific items like pirate costumes, super heroes, perhaps a sarong suitable for making a greek goddess, that kind of thing...
I am on the hunt for a dressing up BOX right now! My mother had a fantastic tin chest for out items - and I''m not ashamed to say that my sister and I were digging in it right through our teenage years!

 

[Haven]

I would totally go to a Salvation Army or similar store and see what odd items you can find. They sell new merchandise, as well, if you''re uncomfortable with used. I''m sure you''ll find lots of things there.

 

[oobiecoo]

I loooved playing dress up! I''m sure she''ll be so happy with her gift!

Here are some more ideas:
Feather boa
plastic high heels
cape
leotard
tights
veil
microphone
feather duster

 

[luckystar112]

I bet now that halloween is over you''ll be able to find lots of discounted costumes...
You might want to try looking there.

 

[swingirl]

A cape is a great fun item. My mom made my daughter a reversible cape. It had light holding velcro at the neck.

 

[fatafelice]

Thanks for all of the great ideas, ladies!

Neatfreak: Animal ears are a good idea! And I was thinking about fairy wings, but I can''t find inexpensive ones that aren''t terribly ugly.

Lara: A purse is a great idea, and maybe some jewelry (though you are right about supervision). And I agree about the non-gender-specific things, since I don''t want her to feel like being a ballerina is her avenue in life. Maybe a pirate hat and sword, and a superhero cape, then. A sarong is a great multi-purpose idea as well.

Haven: That is a great idea, and in my old city, I totally would. But up here, the used clothing places seem a bit too sketchy.

Oobiecoo: I love the idea of a boa and a microphone!

 

[fatafelice]

Luckystar: Great idea! I am going to go check some Halloween sites.

Swinggirl: A reversable cape is a really good idea! I wonder if I have enough time to make one before her birthday.

 

[Elmorton]

I might suggest a couple of tiaras - for when little friends come over.

A horse - you know, the ones with the horse head and then the pole as the body

A lacy plastic parasol (might need supervision, but there are ones with plastic instead of metal)

A fan

A yard or two of lacy or shiny fabric - as a shawl, an overskirt, a veil, a cape - anything

One of those jester hats with bells can be fun or a tall wizard hat.

BLING! - Big plastic "gem" rings

A purse with a change pouch and and keys

My goddaughter was really into her fake cell phone around that age...

OH! They make steering wheels that are just the wheel with buttons on them that honk or rev the engine - I''ve seen those for I think for about $5 at a drug store. PERFECT for pretending

Other occupation costumes that are fun: Police officer/ firewoman / baseball player / doctor or nurse (throw in a small stuffed dog or cat and she can be a vet) / cowgirl / cheerleader

If you''re on a budget, the dollar store is a great place for finds. My mom is a spanish teacher, so she has all sorts of goofy stuff to teach kids occupations, and she''s found tons of props there.

 

[LaraOnline]

Elmorton, you have the BEST suggestions!

I walked all around town yesterday trying to find a trunk suitably magical to turn into a dressing up box....
no luck, I''m afraid. Perhaps something special will turn up at an antiques store or something...

 

[Pandora II]

Lara, try ebay... ditto for dressing-up box outfits.

We had one as kids - in fact it''s still there and still gets raided for fancy dress parties. We had loads of my mother''s clothes from the 1960s as well as things she and my grandmother made for us. Silk scarves are good for making all sorts of things from.

 

[Elmorton]

Hmmmm...my dress up trunk when I was little was one of those steamer trunks that they still make, they''re just way cheaper in quality. I think they can still be bought in the back of Walmart and Kmart for about $20. It was kindof large though.

If you''re into do-it-yourself, a fun idea could be to take a big cardboard box and take pieces of tissue paper and ohhh what''s that glue stuff called?!

What about something like this? It''s the rubbermaid version of what I had as a kid, kinda - the other thing that makes me nervous about this is the closures and her little fingers

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10073912

Or even something like this could be dressed up with some fun stickers or static clings:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6004473

And here''s kindof a random idea - but what about a hamper? I remember that half of the fun was just digging through the dress up box (though she might be a little too short for a hamper)

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6538003

 

[lauralu]

has anyone mentioned plastic sunglasses. Little kids love sunglasses. Also you can buy cheap necklace beads at party stores. Those are always cool.
Pretend cell phone

 

[LaraOnline]

Hey girls, only just got back to this thread. I have to say, I think the US consumer market rocks, I don''t think I could get a steamer trunk equivalent at such a cheap price over here...it seems to be pretty much what I want, huge is goooood. You have given me hope! I''ll keep looking, thanks so much for the suggestions!

L.

 

[bee*]

fairy wings were my favourite thing when I was younger!

 

[snowflakeluvr]

what a great idea! my 3 year old wears her tutus and costumes almost constantly...hats are a great idea, even little white gloves(or winter gloves)...just be careful of small parts, like beads(jewelry) or things she could wrap around her neck. she will have a blast. my daughter wants "pin-tess stuss" for Christmas so i am working on the same idea...she''ll love you for it, too

 

[lala2332]

I loved my mom''s old clothes the most. I had her old silk robe, and a fake fur caplet....i was quite the diva!

 

[diane5006]

All of those ideas sound great...

I owuld add bead...but because of her age make sure they are big beads...(choking hazzard)...you can add others as sse gets older

 

[Elmorton]

Ohhh! Ditto re: gloves! I forgot about the gloves!! My mom's bridesmaid dresses all had matching evening gloves (the kind that come up to your elbows) - I thought those were AWESOME.

Sunglasses, too. Definitely not appropriate for a two-year old, but when she's older, if you have a pair of frames without lenses laying around, they'd be a great addition. Goodness knows that dress-up is fun for years

Oh - and ballet shoes! Pink house slippers work for this, too

 

[Mediterranean]

Hats! Any kind of crazy hat, or any kind of career-related hat (cop, construction helmet, football helmet, ball cap, jockey hat) anything that would spark a kid''s imagination. And hats are too big for a little one to harm him or herself with (as long as you check for potentially hazardous ''accessories'' on the hat)