Going to the doctor is no fun–not for adults and
especially not for kids. Not only is the impending meeting
with the doctor a little scary, but also the time spent in
the waiting room can be excruciating for young children.
Here are a few fun and super simple ways to beat the
waiting room boredom blues.
* Waiting rooms are filled with magazines. Use this time to
help children practice their reading skills. Have your
child read the headlines and text aloud to you (not too
loud!).
* Play a simple game of Tic-Tac-Toe! Have a tournament: the
best 3 out of 5 games wins…or depending on how long
you’re waiting for the doctor, it could be the best 5 out
of 7, or more.
* Bring along a gallon-sized Ziploc baggie and a few dry-
erase or washable markers. Slip a sheet of blank paper or
an entire magazine into the baggie. If you use a magazine,
don’t tear out pages (even though most doctor offices
receive free magazine subscriptions, it’s just not polite
to tear them). Trace the magazine cover through the
plastic. Wipe the baggie clean with a tissue and start over
with a new picture.
* Try to stump each other with word scrambles. Use a pencil
and piece of paper to rearrange the letters of a word, and
then decipher them.
* Play Find-A-Feeling: Ask your child to look through a
magazine and find a happy person. Discuss why they think
the person is happy, sad, upset, etc., (ask them for
examples such as facial expressions and body language).
This will help your child recognize and acknowledge the
feelings of others.
