A Review of Flights of Fancy Costumes
by Maria Rioux
Imaginative play is not only a delightful part of childhood, it's a
necessary part. When a child enters the world of pretend he's taking
a crucial step in intellectual development, moving, in a way, from
the concrete to the abstract and, in the process, learning to
distinguish between what is real and what is not. Very young children
sometimes stumble when making this leap which is most evident in how
they understand language. Our young son once had a heart-stopping
moment when a friend asked if he'd like another piece of pizza and I
replied, "I think he has his eye on that cake..." He gave me one
horrified look, gingerly patting his eye sockets to check if both
were still there, and asked, "Where's my eye?" This child clearly had
not sorted out the difference between literal and figurative
meanings, what is said and what is meant, what is real and what is
possible, if only to those with the wildest imaginations.
I well remember playing imaginative games, sometimes enhancing the
experience by accessorizing and dressing up. My mother did not sew
unless it could not be avoided, but she was very generous with her
old clothing. I made the adjustments necessary to fit my games. I
could be a lady, or I could be a spy... dressed as a lady, or I could
be a priest escaping persecution...masquerading as a lady. Anyone who
remembers their childhood and now has children of their own will
appreciate the joy of dress up, though you might not have had much
fun helping your children play dress up for some time. That's because
one needs costumes for dress up and, unless you sew, imaginative,
durable, and affordable ones are hard to come by. They were, that is,
until a homeschooling mother of four was inspired to provide just
that and Flights of Fancy was born.
Flights of Fancy provides costumes and accessories for every
imagination. You could return to the time of Chris and attend His
birth as a shepherd, one of the magi, or even Mary or Joseph. You
could be an early Christian martyr...without suffering the immediate
consequences while hoping for the long-term ones. You could be a
lady, a knight, Elizabeth of Hungary, or an elven princess... but not
an orc. Who wants to be an orc? You could travel the Oregon Trail or
be Laura Ingalls. If you have a flair for glamor, you could satiate
that, too. There are so many options for both boys and girls, all
available in a variety of sizes, including some for adults so that
everyone can join in the fun. Each costume reflects a love for, and
an understanding of, children. Fabrics have been carefully chosen to
avoid irritating materials which scratch and chafe. Closures and
belts serve their purpose well, but also with ease. Anyone who has
wrestled a 3 or 4 year old into or out of almost any outfit will be
grateful for the velcro closures which make getting these garments on
and off a matter of a moment. This is something a 3 year old could
do, even if he might prefer some help. For those garments which might
be damaged by velcro closures, snap tape is used.
As a homeschooling mother dress up is especially appealing to me
because we use it well beyond the significant early developmental
stages. Our children love to perform scenes from their favorite
plays, books, and stories, or to wear the garb of their favorite
saints and historical figures. We have lived in Middle Earth for
years. I got so used to our children coming to the door to ask for a
bit of lembas to speed them on their way that I quit calling them in
for lunch. We had councils and formed fellowships instead. Costumes
make it easy to travel back through history, or to other worlds, and
live there. Flights of Fancy helps by providing high quality costumes
at affordable prices.
Visit http://www.fofcostumes.com to see what is possible, and visit
them regularly because they're growing all the time. Feel free to
make suggestions and then check to see if your imaginings became
reality.
From their website:
Flights of Fancy Costumes:
We will soon begin the season of Advent, preparing in both
tangible and intangible ways for the birth of Christ when God gave us
His only Son. In imitation of His generous love, we give gifts to all
those we know and even some we don't. What greater gift can we give
our children than to build upon their faith?
Most children have an affection for and feel a connection to
certain saints, most often the saint for whom they are named or one
they chose as patron. That is why we are so excited to offer
religious costumes which will allow your child to more closely
imitate his favorite saint even while he plays. In addition, we are
working on providing small unit studies to accompany each costume.
We're not yet certain if we can have that ready for the Christmas
season, but we're working hard on it. The unit studies will include:
biographical information, interesting stories, additional resources
and historical fiction for further study, special prayers, customs
and traditions, recipes and sometimes short plays or skits for those
who enjoy making history come alive by reliving it.:) Pray that we
can do everything we hope to do! :)
The following costumes will be offered for the Christmas season:
Mary, Mother of God
St. Nicholas
St. Francis
St. Ignatius of Loyola
St. Therese
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
St. Bernadette of Lourdes
Juan Diego
Mother Teresa
Pope John Paul II
3 Kings
Shepherd
St. Lucy
St. George
Some of our religious costumes can be viewed at
http://fofcostumes.com/religion.php.
For further information, contact us at dkfuhrman@hotmail.com.
Maria Rioux writes from rural Kansas where she lives with her
husband, Jean, and their eight children, whom she has been home
schooling for the past eighteen years.