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Do you remember playing dress-up as a little kid? Now imagine giving your kids all of that fun and creativity in a box of their very own. While you can gather the materials for a dress-up box at any time, it can also make a great and memorable gift for a birthday or holiday.

The Container
If you own an actual trunk, or can find one for a good price, that would make the best container. It will be like opening up a treasure chest for your kids. But any large box or even an old suitcase will do. If you use a suitcase, it can even double as an additional prop in pretend play.

The Contents
Fancy dresses-The staple of any dress-up collection are long dresses that can help a young girl be a princess or a model. Almost any grown-up dress will seem "fancy" to a kid, but if you have any sequined and glittered gowns around, all the better.

Career wear-Look for pieces of clothing that will help a child pretend to be a (fill in the blank). A suit jacket can help your kid pretend to be in business, while a tool belt will inspire a young construction worker.

Scarves/sashes-These can be surprisingly versatile and will be used for anything from a skirt to a sling for a "broken arm."

Jewelry-Long beads are essential, along with bracelets that can move on your arms. Any shiny jewelry will also catch kids' attention. Naturally, don't give the kids anything valuable or easily breakable.

Make-up-Include make-up in your dress-up box at your own discretion. If you trust your kids to use your old tube of lipstick on their faces and not your walls, then there's no harm in including it, as long as you're ready for clean-up later. You can also find make-up made for kids in the toy aisles at most stores. This make-up is meant to be less messy, but of course, that's less fun!

Accessories-Sunglasses, the bigger the better, are a good piece to include. Purses can also add realism to the play. Toss in some big, floppy hats for fun.

You can find dress-up pieces or even entire pre-filled dress-up trunks in stores and toy catalogs. They even come with kid-sized clothing pieces. Where's the fun in that? Isn't the point of playing dress-up to dress up in grown-up clothes? But you can look to these stores for the perfect accents, like a feather boa for your wannabe movie star or a glittery microphone for your up-and-coming pop idol.

You can donate clothes from your own stash for the effort (a great way to clean out your closet), or you can go on a hunt at local thrift stores and yard sales for the perfect pieces to complete the collection. Enlist friends and family in the effort. Does your neighbor's daughter take dance lessons? Maybe she has an old tutu just collecting dust in her closet. Your chemist brother might have an old lab coat that will turn your unassuming child into a mad scientist.

Once you've created your initial box, don't just set it aside and forget about it. Always be on the lookout for the next great play piece when you find the clearance racks or stop by a garage sale. As an added bonus, you're halfway to your next Halloween costume!