Role Play to Prepare Young Children for Doctor Visits

Visits to the doctor's office can be scary and stressful for young children and toddlers. Taking a little time to role play the doctor office helps young children and toddlers know what to expect from their doctor visit. Taking away some of the unknown will help your child handle their fear and stress. Role playing also makes a game out of something very scary, so your child relaxes and learns to have fun.

Use a favorite stuffed animal, preferably one slightly larger, to role play the doctor's exam with your child. Let your child play the doctor. This gives them a feeling of control and also sparks interest in the upcoming doctor's visit. If you try to play the doctor to your child, you are reinforcing the high, authority position of the doctor which makes them seem less approachable. It is ok to do some of the actions to your child as you play - but be sure you let the child pretend to be the doctor the entire time.

Let your child conduct the doctor's exam on their favorite stuffed animal or on yourself. Tell them what to do and let them do it. Get a toy doctor or medical kit, or make a pretend stethoscope with yard and pipe cleaners.

First, tell them that the doctor will test the patient's height and weight. Let your child "measure" the teddy bear patients height and then place them on the scale. Give them paper to mark down their results. (These will probably be just crayon marks depending on the age of the child. Remember, you're not going for accuracy. You're just trying to go through the motions.)

Next, give your child a popsicle stick so they can pretend role play to hold down the patient's tongue and look in their throat. Do it to yourself, let your child do it herself and to you, and let your child pretend to do it to stuffed animals. Tell your child that the doctor is looking in her throat to make sure she is healthy.

Then, use a pretend instrument to look into the patient's eyes and ears. A small flashlight works well for this since the doctor's instrument has a light on it. Just be careful not to shine the real flashlight directly in your child's eyes.

Use the pretend stethoscope to listen to the patient's back and chest. Let your child move the stethoscope around. Make the sound of a heartbeat so your child knows what the doctor is listening for.

Show your child with role play how the doctor will use her hands to press gently on the belly area. Then explain how the doctor will quickly glance at the private areas. Use this as an opportunity to discuss with your child how only the doctor and a parent should be allowed to do this. Never let a stranger or friend do this.

Use a small pencil or rubber mallet to gently tap on the knees. Avoid making an exaggerated reflect movement. Your child might get confused and intentionally give exaggerated reflexes during the appointment.

Use masking tape or duct tape to wrap around the patient's arm and role play blood pressure. Show your child, by wrapping your fingers around the upper arm, what the pressure might feel like as the band tightens a little bit.

All of these role play activities will help your child know what to expect from their upcoming medical or doctor visits. Make a game of the activity and your child will be more interested in how his body works and more likely to stay calm during the doctor visit. Encourage your child to ask the doctor any questions they want, including whether they have children or pets, to make the doctor more personable to them. Most pediatricians will not mind at all.