With comic-book epics still popular on the big screen, it can be tough to separate superhero play from licensed characters and violence. But superhero play need not be aggressive. Pretending to be a superhero who flies, has special powers, and saves the day is a wonderful way for children to try on different roles and experiment with power. However, when kids strap on a Batman belt or a Hulk fist, they tend to stick to “scripted” play, following the plots of movies or TV shows. Equip them instead with non-commercial superhero gear and watch their play expand.
Of course, any superhero game starts with a great cape. Many boutique designers and Etsy sellers make homemade capes but the two best makers we’ve found are San Francico’s Baby Leo Designs, and Pennsylvania’s BabyPop Designs, both mom-owned companies that make capes of impeccable quality. BabyPop’s capes are a bit simpler and lower-priced, a mere $16-40 depending on what options you order: organic fabric, a matching cape for your kids’ favorite doll, complicated designs. They’re also customizable: your child can pick out his or her favorite colors and get an initial or two stitched on.
Baby Leo’s capes are not customizable but the materials are lush and finger-friendly: velvet chamois, high-quality satin, gorgeous graphics like lightning bolts and flowers. Both cape designers have easy-release velcro fastenings for comfort and safety, and all will make an exhilarating swish as the young superhero moves faster than a speeding bullet.
Visit babyleodesigns.com or BabyPop on Etsy.