The Benefits of Dress-Up

The benefits of dress up go far beyond fun! Imaginative play encourages independence, self-expression, language development, and practice with creative and motor skills. Children learn how to show empathy to others, share ideas, and act upon them.

Social Development: When wearing costumes or dress-up clothes, children will often role-play and practice cooperation and communication with others! Taking turns and negotiating is key during dress up with others. Who will play mother? Sister? Patient? Who gets to wear the favorite dinosaur costume today?

Cognitive Development: A child’s curiosity about the different characters inspire them to use their knowledge of the world around them—to recall details and scenarios and act them out. They will learn new vocabulary words--stethoscopes suddenly become exciting!

Emotional Development: Empathy is one of the most important skills to learn growing up. Make believe is the perfect way to practice. Children must imagine the experience of both the characters they play and the ones they interact with.

Physical Development: Fine motor skills are put to the test while dressing and undressing in costumes with zippers, sleeves, hoods, and more! Gross motor skills are exerted through running, dashing, crawling and leaping in costume.

Imagination is limitless in costume! With each change of costume, children step into a new and vibrant world where they are free to explore and experiment.

Our Advisors:

We also value the knowledge and insight of our advisors. We have collaborated with educators and psychologists in the creation of our costumes. Costumes that are not only fun but also supportive of a child’s development and growth through play.

Emily Howard, Special Education Teacher
“Costumes can be tricky for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that is why finding a sensory-friendly costumes is incredibly important. No one likes wearing uncomfortable clothes, but it can be larger disturbance for children with ASD. The best costumes are ones that are simple design and similar to their everyday clothes. Tags, scratchy fabric and additional accessories are best all together avoided. I appreciate Snickerdoos attention to fabric and comfort.”

Meg Garlin, School Psychologist
"The cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of children's dress up are well established. Snickerdoos allows children to utilize their imagination, build empathy, develop vocabulary, imitate and problem solve while having fun! The market is long overdue for a line of children's costumes that are both affordable and wearable. The majority of costumes available are pricy, itchy, and uncomfortable. Snickerdoos creates quality costumes that enable children to take full advantage of this magical stage in their development."

Nora Webb, Marriage and Family Therapist

"The Snickerdoos line of costumes are a sensory delight; soft and gentle to the touch and made of beautifully vivid colors. As we watch children play in costumes we can almost see their brains grow! Taking on a role of a tiger or a doctor, the child will be thinking about what a doctor or tiger would say or do, an experience that will encourage social and emotional engagement, and empathy. To take on another identity fosters creativity and imagination-critical building blocks in cognitive development."

Linda Doo, Pre-School Teacher

"Dear Snickerdoos, I am so grateful that you have created a product that is innovative and so grounded in research. My students (2/3) come to me on a daily bases to show me what superhero is on their T-shirt or what fabulous spin their tutu can make. Of course this is all make-believe but is grounded in positive affirmations. Please keep up the good work--our children are our future."

Snickerdoos from Matt Heirakuji on Vimeo.

Let's Be Dress-Up Friends!