Young girls especially need constant encouragement and support to follow their dreams and aspirations. As parents, you can support your daughter by giving her the tools she needs to get inspired and let her imagination run wild. There are plenty of modern tools to choose from in our digital world, but I think the best option is one that dates back to when we were kids: a dress-up trunk. From wearing mom’s high heels to playing doctor, here are five cool ideas to start your daughter’s very own dress-up trunk.
1. Stethoscope
After watching you bandage owies and administer children’s medicine on sick days, your little girl might be curious about playing this caregiver role herself. A stethoscope is one instrument kids seem to find endlessly fascinating, which can encourage her curiosity about the medical field. Use this opportunity to teach her about key health concepts like washing hands, disinfecting injuries, eating healthy foods and exercising. You can also include a miniature white coat and a child’s doctor kit with plastic syringes, bandages and thermometers.
2. Police Badge
Another profession popular among the under-10 set is law enforcement, which attracts children with its exciting environment and role in taking down bad guys. A police badge can make her feel empowered while offering a less controversial alternative to a toy gun. Complement her badge with handcuffs, walkie talkies and a policeman’s hat for full effect.
3. Fashion Accessories
If your little one longs to be a fashion model, movie star, pop singer or another kind of high-profile, feminine diva, she’ll need the getup to match her attitude. Stock up on cute, colorful and inexpensive jewelry for her dress-up box, including bangle bracelets, clip-on earrings, necklaces and fun accessories like feather boas and tiaras. You can also include play makeup (at your own discretion) and dress-up clothes like tutus and sequin pageant gowns.
4. Calculator
Teach your daughter to love learning early by introducing her to mathematics at a young age. Giving academic subjects a fun spin can really encourage her curiosity while enabling her to pick up a few real lessons along the way. Include a kid-friendly calculator in her dress-up trunk, along with math work booklets for kids, a mini chalkboard and colorful number magnets she can stick to the refrigerator to create and solve her own equations.
5. Superhero Cape
Who said dressing up always has to be realistic? Girls can be superheroes just as easily as boys can, and you’d be surprised how easy it is to modify a boy’s costume to appeal to your daughter’s feminine side. Simply sew on some tulle in coordinating colors to create a tutu accent that makes every superhero costume instantly more adorable.
The point of having a diverse dress-up trunk is to make your daughter feel like the sky is the limit as far as her personal and professional aspirations go. Including traditionally less-feminized professions like doctor, police officer and scientist is important, but you want to make sure she understands all of her options, so she can make the best decision for her.