The Developmental Importance of Playing Dress-Up: From Ballerinas to Superheroes

Few are the preschoolers and even older children that do not make pretending a large part of their playtime activities. Parents have long viewed these activities simply as harmless fun, with no real drawbacks or benefits. Perhaps the equivalent of watching reality television for adults. Just something to fill the time. More and more, however, researchers are starting to see that these activities are very important in a child's life, and can help them develop a number of skills and personality traits that will help them later in life.

Young children thrive best when their imaginations are allowed to soar freely. Oppressive, structured environments, with no room for error or alternative methods can be stifling for a child's mind and lead to a host of developmental problems.

Through taking on a different character, whether it is one they know from television or movies, or one they made up entirely on their own, can help a child develop creative skills that can be important down the road. This type of imaginative play can build the skills necessary for a career in creative writing, art, graphic design, film making, and any other career that requires creative thought. Not only that, but these creative skills can come in handy for everyday problem solving and what is called "outside the box" thinking.

Playing dress up and pretending they are someone else can also create the ability in your child to feel empathy. This is a difficult emotion for children to grasp at a certain age. Children are egocentric by nature, with little concept of others' thoughts and feelings. This isn't a flaw, but rather simply a stage in development. Roleplaying can help a child understand that others have the same capacity for thoughts and feelings as they do, and develops their mind to see the world through another dimension.

Another often overlooked benefit to playing dress up is to the child's self esteem. Think about this for a moment. When your child realizes that simply by putting on a cape or a mask or a tutu they can transform into another character, they will subconsciously teach themselves that adage all parents instill in their children from an early age: You can be whatever you want to be. You can do whatever it is you set your mind to. Teachers, researchers, and doctors have long known that learning is easiest when a child discovers something for themselves. Playing dress up and pretending can let your child realize there are no limitations other than those they set for themselves.

Vocabulary can also increase through role playing. When a child passively watches a movie, they will hear many words that are unfamiliar to them. If that is where the study ends, the child will make little attempt to internalize the words and figure out their meanings. But if the child puts themselves in the role of the movie's hero, you will suddenly notice them using these words as they act out the movie's scenes, and other scenes of their own creation. After all, Superman isn't Superman without some dialogue concerning "truth, justice, and the American way," or a mention or two of the Fortress of Solitude. These aren't common words for a preschooler to know and use, but through these pretending games, they will become a part of the child's vocabulary.

In order to foster an environment in which your child has the ability to role play, you may wish to provide them with a few important costume elements. Figuring out what these are will be as easy as observing your child's playtime rituals and determining what kind of characters they are drawn to. If your daughter likes to pretend she is a dancer, perhaps you could provide her with a ballerina costume. If your son likes to pretend he is Batman, perhaps you could make a cape out of some old drapes or tablecloth that you no longer use. The great thing about a child's imagination is that they don't need a lot of reality in their costumes. Just an old briefcase and a pair of dress shoes can transform them into their father, the banker. A flowery makeshift cape can have them fighting the forces of evil with the best of them, high above the streets of Metropolis, with Kryptonite the only thing that can deter them. Well, that and pizza.