Is dressing up for Halloween the same as dressing up for pretend play? The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) posed that question to Dr. Sandra Waite-Stupiansky, facilitator of its Play, Policy, and Practice Forum, and she said 'no'.
Pretend play nurtures children’s imaginations because they have control over the play, acting out various scenarios that interest them using props and clothing to promote their stories. The most basic props offer the most creative options for kids. A metal bowl can be a firefighter's hat, or a cardboard box can be a rocket ship, a car or a house. The ability to use everyday items to represent other things during pretend play is a major developmental milestone, say researchers, because it demonstrates symbolic thinking, which is important for learning math and language.
In contrast, Halloween costumes typically are predetermined and very specific. A firefighter costume comes with all the necessary pieces, leaving little room for imagination to guide the play. A better option for Halloween, says Dr. Waite-Stupiansky, is to engage the child in choosing a costume idea and then working together to create it.
So, while there’s value in the time a family spends together, both in creating costumes or going trick-or-treating on Halloween night, it’s important to encourage imaginative play every day of the year. Consider creating a prop box to spark young imaginations, but keep it simple so creative minds can direct the play. Items for the prop box can include old clothes, hats, fabric, blankets, scarves, shoes, containers like lunch boxes, bowls and baskets, play money, stuffed animals, dolls, plastic food, and both real and toy kitchen items like pots and pans, wooden spoons and measuring cups.
