Homemade Props for Playing Doctor

Here are some simple ideas to make to add to your playing doctor and hospital kits.

Above is some homemade band-aids made out of felt. If you do not like to sew you could just glue on the different colored felts. I love felt for simple projects like this since it is very economical and soft to touch. If you want, you can add velcro so the bandages will actually close.

You can also make a basic cast out of a piece of felt. I just took one piece of felt, folded it half lengthwise, and sewed down one side. I turned it inside out and cut out a thumb hole. It fits kids up to about 9 years old. If you do not have felt and do not sew you could just cut a thumb hole in a white tube sock for the same effect.

Above is an ice pack for play. The kids will enjoy helping to make this prop. Pour Dawn soap (make sure it is Dawn) into a plastic bag. Seal it up (I added extra duct tape and put it inside another baggie just in case). Put it in the freezer. It freezes just like a gel ice pack so it is flexible. Lots of fun to wrap around an "injured" arm. Personally, makes a nice icepack for real boo-boos as well!

Need more props for playing doctor and hospital? Download the Playing Pretend ebook for Doctor and Hospital forms.

Playing to Get Ready for a Doctor's Visit

If your child is fearful about going to the doctor here are a few tips to prepare your child through play for a doctor's visit:

1.  Play pretend - Start off by using a pretend doctor's kit (homemade or store bought) to check a stuffed animal or a doll.  The child can watch you check the doll or let the child check the doll.  The next step for your child is to observe you checking another person, perhaps an older sibling or another adult.   Let the child have a turn being the doctor checking stuffed animals, dolls and people.  When the child is ready, role play that you are the doctor and check your child.  While you are role playing make sure you explain what you are going to do before you do it.  This will help to eliminate fear in the child.  

2.   Read books - Read books about going to the doctor such as Curious George goes to the Hospital or The Berenstein Bears Go to the Doctor.

3.  Write a story - Write a story about going to the doctor.  You can use google images to add pictures for your child or simple illustrations.  The text can include phrases such as:

• We are going to see Doctor _________.
• They will bring you into a room.
• They will weight you and check your temperature.
• He/she will look in your ears, eyes and nose.
• The doctor will listen to your heart and lungs.
• They may give you a shot.
•  When you are done you will get a sticker.

Playing Pretend on the iPad

 

Want to learn how you can mark up pdf documents so that you can write on them on your iPad?  This is a wonderful way to turn our Pretend Play books into your own iPad apps to let your children take digital documentation just like some doctors do!  Plus, it combines the technology with good old fashioned playtime.  One more bonus, you do not have to print the colored pages.

Basically this free app allows you to mark and draw on the iPad with pdf documents. Here is how you do it:

 Step 1: On your iPad download the an app that lets you mark up pdf documents. There are few available.  Some are free and some are inexpensive ($0.99).  For the pictures above I used Neu.Annotate.  I have also used pdf-notes free in the past and that works well too.   

Step 2:  Email yourself a copy of the pdf document such as Pretend Play Doctor and Hospital.  

Step 3:  If you have just purchased it open up your download link on your iPad and you can select to open it up in pdf notes or Neu.annotate.  If you emailed it to yourself, click on the attachment and select to open it up in pdf notes or Neu.annotate.

Step 4:  Start playing around with the document.  You can write with your finger, write in text boxes, use stamps to make 'X' marks and erase.  There is a very small learning curve to figure out all the tools but it takes all of 5 minutes if you are familiar with the iPad already.

Step 5:  Open up your pretend doctor's office, emergency room, school or animal clinic and get started with your digital documents.

Check out all the Pretend Play packets

• Doctor and Hospital
• School
• Animal
• Secret Agent
• Candy Shop

  

Pretend Play Box - Doctor Hospital

Pretend Play Box -Doctor Hospital

What's Inside: Inside this box is a home made clipboard (cardboard, contact paper and binder clip), some Pretend Play pages from Doctor and Hospital,  box of band aids, ace wrap, gauze, jar of cotton balls, container of Q-tips, fake ice pack (blue fun foam with clear paper shreds inside plastic bag), splint (cardboard wrapped in sheet of fun foam and duct tape), gloves, 2 basting brushes, fake needles for sutures, pretend cast and an arm sling.

 

For the pretend cast, I wrapped fun foam around a paper towel cardboard tube that was cut up the middle.  I duct taped the ends.  Now the child can take it on and off easily and it fits many sizes.

 For the sling, I just used a long piece of fabric.  I tied a hair band around the ends to keep it together and that way it can be adjusted for size.

For the "suture kit", I twisted half of a pipe cleaner and duct taped the ends (to prevent any sharp edges of pipe cleaner).  Thread some dental floss through and the "doctor" is ready to suture.  The plastic case was recycled from the garbage literally (I found it in my daughter's garbage can - not sure what it is from, forgot to ask). 

What They Played: The 18 month old enjoyed taking the cotton balls in and out of the jar.  She also dropped the Q-tips in and out of the flip top container (recycled spice jar).  She also loves to put band aids on her dolls with help.  I think she mostly enjoyed just taking the band aids in and out of the box.

The older kids played pretend hospital and doctor.  The forms included check ups, x-ray sheet and prescription pad.  They used a wipe off marker on these to document the visit.  They took turns being the patient and the doctor.  There was lots of broken bones and ice packs.  The suture kit and the splint were lots of fun since they were different.  They liked using the splint to do i.v.'s.  It was novel since almost all of the stuff inside the box was not the typical store bought doctor's kit.  

 Sign for the Box: If you are creating your own boxes I added the sign for the box to the document. You can view it at Pretend Play Box - Doctor Sign 

View the Pretend Play Box - Newborn Baby
View the Pretend Play Box - Pet Show 
View the Pretend Play Box - School

Get the full download of Playing Pretend - Doctor Hospital at GrowingPlay.com