Books to Prepare Toddlers and Preschoolers for a Hospital Stay

A trip to the hospital is stressful for anyone of any age, but hospital visits can be especially hard on young children. Toddlers and preschoolers often have to face a stay in the hospital for various medical issues. If your toddler or preschooler is facing a hospital stay, help prepare him ahead of time. Talking about hospitals, visiting hospitals, and reading about hospitals all help prepare a toddler or preschooler for an actual hospital stay. Books are one of the best ways to help prepare a toddler or preschooler for any of life's events. If your toddler or preschooler is facing a hospital stay, check out these librarian and mom recommended books to help make that hospital visit as pleasant as possible.

Franklin Goes to the Hospital by Paulette Bourgeois. Franklin, the lovable turtle known for his appearances in Bourgeois books and an older PBS cartoon, has a stay in the hospital in this book. This book helps prepare toddlers and preschoolers for a hospital stay by showing young children some of the hospital equipment and procedures they will encounter in the hospital. When Franklin gets a crack in his shell during a soccer game, he has to visit the hospital for a small operation. Franklin is admittedly nervous, but his positive attitude, great doctor, and support of his parents, gets him through his hospital stay; and Franklin may help get your child through his hospital stay too.

Curious George Goes to the Hospital by Margaret and H.A. Rey. While I am not typically a big fan of Curious George (yes, even librarians sometimes go against the norm when it comes to popular book characters!), this book is one of the best in the series. When George swallows a puzzle piece he is taken to the hospital to have it removed. Each of the encounters he has in the hospital are encounters your child might experience in the hospital as well. Particularly if your child is familiar with Curious George, this book may be a great help in preparing your toddler or preschooler for a hospital stay.

Maisy Goes to the Hospital by Lucy Cousins. The colorful Maisy visits the hospital after falling off of her trampoline in this book appropriate for very young readers. The youngest readers will love the simple illustrations of the Maisy books, and Maisy's positive outlook on what the hospital ends up being like will help your little one not be scared of visiting the hospital. This book, with much fewer words than the other two choices, is especially good for preparing toddlers for a hospital stay.

Visiting the hospital for the first time is often an extremely frightening experience for a toddler or preschooler. If your toddler or preschooler is facing a hospital stay, help prepare her for the visit with these great books that help relieve her fears.