The current climate is full of talk about illness and germs, doctors, hospitalizations and even death. While we shelter children from some of these ideas, most of these concepts are part of young children’s lives. Kids have had real life experiences with checkups and Doctor visits for illness. Some may have had hospitalizations or intrusive procedures. People they know may be sick, hurt or exhibiting signs of physical decline. Many have some understanding that we wear masks to avoid illness or that events have been altered due to “the germ.”
Doctor and Dentist play can be important ways to help young children process experiences they might find confusing, unpleasant or overwhelming. We usually offer Doctor play in the classroom, with bags of Doctor tools, to help children understand what the Doctor is doing, and why. Even if you don’t have a toy dr kit at home, you can encourage your child to engage in imaginative doctor play.
Kids can substitute other objects for the tools. Pretending to be the Doctor, patient, or the patient’s parent can empower kids and give them a sense of control over the experience. Very young kids might need some prompts from you to get started. You can suggest that one of their toys is sick or hurt, or take on the role of patient yourself. Kids are usually pretty excited to be the one telling adults they need to take medicine or lie down and rest, or giving them shots. You can model that thinking a happy thought or holding someone’s hand during the shot can help.
Fun Resources for you and your kiddos:
Katrina Nousaine & Anita Speck, Park West Co-Op Preschool Teachers, contributed to this post
Park West Co-Op is a progressive preschool located on Chicago’s near Northside in the heart of Lincoln Park. Park West is a diverse group of teachers who are experts in early childhood education. We've dedicated ourselves to understanding and developing teaching methods that cater to each child's individual needs so they can grow in a positive way. Teachers work hand in hand with the parent run Co-Op and offer robust hands on parent education in the classroom.