Story Time: D is for Dress-Up

by | Jan 21, 2026 | Blog, Kid's Corner, Story Time | 0 comments

Have you ever played dress-up with your child? Not only is it great fun for them and you, but it can also be a critical developmental tool. It helps your child to make sense of the world around her while developing essential skills she’ll use throughout life like communication, appreciation of cultures and occupations, physical dexterity, and self-expression. So grab that box of old clothes, shoes, jewelry, hats, and costumes and play!

Join us Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Community Room or Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Activity Room.

Ages 3-5

Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play

Tip

Dress-up play is more than just physically wearing a costume. When “in character” kids role play. They imitate the character’s mannerisms and may even create their own special traits and themes, which encourages kids to “think outside of the box,” practice different emotions, and use their language skills to communicate too. – The Benefits of Dress-Up Play

Activity

Create a dress-up bin or box and leave it in the play room. Stock a laundry basket, box or cubby full of oversized clothes and accessories like bright scarves, fancy shoes, mismatched socks, baseball hats, sunglasses, boas, sports jerseys, aprons, princess dresses, and costume jewelry. Having these fun items readily available in the play area will inspire kids to want to use costumes and accessories in their everyday play. – The Benefits of Dress-Up Play

Books Presented

Book cover for Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett

Animals should definitely not wear clothing.
…because a snake would lose it, a billy goat would eat it for lunch, and it would always be wet on a walrus! This well-loved book by Judi and Ron Barrett shows the very youngest why animals’ clothing is perfect…just as it is.
Book cover for Sparkles, No Sparkles by Shannon McNeill

Sparkles, No Sparkles by Shannon McNeill

Adorable sparkle-less animals raid the theatre for crowns, boots and capes to add some much-needed sparkle to their ensemble
Book cover for Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book by Stephanie Calmenson

Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book by Stephanie Calmenson

A galore of Dachshunds dressed in clever costumes gather in the park to celebrate Dachshund Day.
Book cover for What We Wear Dressing Up Around the World by Maya Ajmera

What We Wear: Dressing Up Around the World by Maya Ajmera

Bright, uplifting photographs show children from different countries dressed in traditional clothing from each culture. Captions suggest context for the images; “Dressing up means celebrating who we are… and what we believe,” reads one. A smiling child from Papua New Guinea wears a feathered crown and necklace, while two children from Ethiopia are adorned with decorative beads and shells. Another spread shows children from Japan, the United Kingdom, the U.S., and Malawi dressed in sports uniforms.

Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays

Red, Red is the Color I See

(tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
Red*, red is the color I see.
If you have a red scarf, shake it for me!
Stand up, take a bow, and turn around.
If you’ve got a red scarf, then sit back down!

*yellow, blue, orange, green, white…

Source: King County Library System

I put my scarf on my head

I put my scarf on my head,
It may be green or red,
I leave it there while I blink and stare,
And then I toss it in the air.
One, two, three!

I put my scarf on my knees,
I always remember say please…

I put my scarf on my foot,
On my foot my scarf I put…

I put my scarf on my tummy,
I always think that’s funny…

I put my scarf on my face,
It’s really a very nice place,
I leave it there while I blink and stare,
And then I toss it in the air,
One, two, three!

Source: Sukey Molloy

Where Could You Be?

Dachshund, dachshund, where could you be?
Are you under the hard hat?
Let’s look and see!

Source: Storytime in the Stacks

Crafts and Activities

Coloring page featuring kids in different dress up costumes.

Dress-Up Party Coloring Page

 

 

Make a dress-up necklace from yarn, paper, and sections of straw.

Necklace Craft for Kids

Additional Books

Book cover for Maisy Dresses Up by Lucy Cousins

Maisy Dresses Up by Lucy Cousins

Maisy the mouse makes a very special costume for Tallulah’s costume party.

The Little Tiger by Nicola Killen

The Little Tiger by Nicola Killen

As Ollie practices her roar in her new tiger suit, a gust of wind carries her to a forest where a group of animals throw her a birthday party.
Book cover for Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend by Bob Shea

Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend by Bob Shea

Two turtles, one masquerading as a bear and the other a self-proclaimed bear expert, become friends after a day of bear-adjacent activities.
Book cover for Dress-Up Day by Blanca Gómez

Dress-Up Day by Blanca Gómez

Sick at home, a young girl misses the costume party at school, so she decides to wear her rabbit costume the next day; but when the other children laugh at her, she is sad–until a boy turns up in his carrot costume, and soon the other children join in their play.

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