Costumes in Play

When we hear the word costume, most of us think of young children dressing up as their favorite superhero or cartoon figure while engaging in fantasy play, but the use of costumes in play does not belong solely to the young. In fact, costumes can be a large and vital part of the culture of play from infancy through adulthood. If we ask ourselves the question, “How does one pretend to be something or someone else?,” the answer might likely include the use of a costume. Most of us have made use of a costume during fantasy play or as part of a holiday celebration as children or as adults.

The definition of the term costume used throughout this writing refers to a style of dress or components of dress worn to portray the player as a particular character or genre of character other than their regular persona in informal and formal play experiences. In this sense, the role of costumes in play experiences is that of a tangible, concrete support tool that scaffolds the game or transports [Page 152]the player into the chosen role. It is through an examination of play over a lifetime that we can see the importance of costumes unfold in many forms and uses.