Boys Dressing Up Clothes

[Guest terrydoo73]

We put out a wizard outfit for this month - simple little cloak with a hat and wand. Unfortunately it has not been that easy to get the boys into the role model. They simply put the cloak on with the wand in their hand and start to attack everyone who comes near them getting everyone raised and running around and around the room like mad. This was bought from a very good supplier of early years products so I am going back to the drawing board and asking - what do you put out for your boys to dress up in that would be easy to get on and off without a lot of help needed. We have tried boilersuits in the past but got entangled in the legs and arms part. I think with the cloak they all thought they were superman with wonderful parts but that would be ok if they didn't start running around all over the place and believe you me our place is small - it only caters for 12 in the room. When they start running then chairs get knocked over, people trampled on, everything goes flying and despite us telling them we cannot run inside it just gets mad until we have to give an ultimatum that either they play in the dressing up area pretending then the cloak has to come off and they go somewhere else. Yesterday we just removed the cloak because it was take it off one and the next one starts up again!

[Rea]

I remember one boy in particular who always went straight to the tiny red skirt with sequins round the hem, so maybe not all your boys need traditional boy dressing up clothes.

For now though I'd make sure there is more than one cloak, they dont even have to be shop bought. As to the running and using weapons, well I'm of the school that see's it as perfectly normal but I would lay some ground rules such as, no fighting with people who dont want to join in, no hitting or scaring, and I'd try to encourage them to have a story behind all the fighting. Get them to draw, mark the story, who the baddies are, what they've done wrong, what weapons they might need, do they have super powers, if so what are they?

Other things I've found interest the lads mostly are are tool kits, clip boards, hard hats, police uniforms plus hat, firefighters, again with the hat, mobile phones/walkie talkies, anything mechanical or technical in some way like tv remotes and calculators. Your local poundland or charity shops should have some stuff instead of paying loads from an early years supplier. :1b

[Guest terrydoo73]

Yes Rea this same child has dressed up in a little red dress twice in fact and loves the feel of the skirt swish out behind him! We do have hard hats and the police uniforms etc - just looking for something different to try!

[Rea]

When I was little nothing was better than wearing my mom's clothes and shoes, maybe ask some parents for old clothes or go to a charity shop. I loved wearing my mom's wedding dress when I was about 6 or so. Actually, I had the underskirt and veil and my cousin had the dress, all up and down my nan's road, hardly any wonder it was no good to use as my wedding dress later on :rolleyes:

Edited September 25, 2012 by Rea

[Sue R]

I would also add that if you have space issues, why not have a 'role play' day - don't put any furniture etc out, just resources around the room? I have done the same with just a selection of various sized cardboard boxes to great success. The children will probably let you know if they need specifics and you won't be risking your blood pressure by nagging or trying not to!

 

Sue

[Stargrower]

Yes our children really enjoy that kind of play - just tables, blankets, boxes etc. We set some rules, keep an eye but let them do what they want. Great for negotiating, role play, imaginative play, language development...and lots more.

[SueJ]

I managed to get hold of some cloaks and crowns from one of our discount stores and they have gone down really well with both genders - I have two pink and two red and girls and boys don't seem too bothered which colour they have - also had a couple of skeleton outfits donated after a halloween and they are also really popular. The Tigger outfit I had donated however doesn't get much airtime as the children get in it and jump about which is great but the fabric is sooooo thick they v. quickly get overheated and end up looking like we have stuck them under the shower where they are so wet and sweaty

[Inge]

we had jackets and gilets in boys sizes.. local charity store was a good supplier for these , racing helmets.. they made cars using boxes and crayons.. frisbees became steering wheels, and all ended up quite contained as they were in the' cars' not running around..

 

doctors outfits were good ones too.. providing all the bits to make beds and patients were often us or the teddies..

 

and I too remember vividly one little boy who loved the swish of the cloth of a bridal style dress we had.. and another who beelined for the red short skirt and red matching shoes every day

 

ours were all mostly castoffs from parents or charity shops, nothing bought from a supplier..

[sunnyday]

When they start running then chairs get knocked over, people trampled on, everything goes flying and despite us telling them we cannot run inside it just gets mad until we have to give an ultimatum that either they play in the dressing up area pretending then the cloak has to come off and they go somewhere else. Yesterday we just removed the cloak because it was take it off one and the next one starts up again!

 

Just wondering what you say when this 'running' is going on........STOP is usually quite effective.........i.e. Stop as opposed to no

[Sue R]

This is very true, sunnyday!!!!!

[Cait]

I find saying 'STOP!' is more effective, followed by 'SLOWLY now!' and reminding them that we don't run indoors. My 3-4s are in a small room, and it just isn't possible to run about.

[Guest]

what about trying playsilks (google them), large silk squares in different colours. We use them as cloaks, skirts, hats, they are so light that they can be rolled or tied in a variety of ways, both boys and girls love them. If I knew how to upload a photo of them I would. We also have weeks where we only put out hats, not childrens ones but adult caps, trilby, sunhats, rainhats, beret, wedding type hats, sombreros, hard hats etc

[Guest]

yea! worked it out, here are my playsilks drying after I'd dyed them

[Sue R]

Fab idea! That and the 'one item'!

[Guest]

we try to put dressing up bits outside when dry. if it gets muddy we take it home and wash it, or better still the kids do! there's so much more space to have fun.... we just have feather boas, scarves which can be bandanas for pirate play or a skirt/cloak, skirts, my daughters old sparkly t-shirts which the boys favour, cloaks, hats, fireman and doctor tabards, tunics, gilets etc they really take the play off in different directions x

[sunnyday]

yea! worked it out, here are my playsilks drying after I'd dyed them

 

Oh they look lovely - off to find out more! :1b

[garrison]

my sons favourite outfit at my nursery was the white tutu - he is 9 now though and denies it vehemently!!

[Cait]

my sons favourite outfit at my nursery was the white tutu - he is 9 now though and denies it vehemently!!

 

Have you not got any pictorial evidence for him?

[garrison]

unfortunately not - plenty of naked photos though for the girlfriends later!!!