Confidence & feelings
Teddy’s doctor
- Builds: Feeling brave about doctors
- 10 min
- Ages 2–5
- Calm
- No mess
From the house
- Teddies or dolls
- A toilet-paper roll as a stethoscope
- A spoon for medicine
- A tissue or bandage
How to play
- A teddy feels sick, and they’re the doctor.
- Listen to teddy’s tummy through the roll and check its temperature with the spoon.
- Give pretend medicine and wrap a tissue bandage.
- Tuck teddy in and call, “Next patient!”
Fit it to your child
- Easier: Do each check on teddy first and let them copy you.
- Harder: Swap roles so you’re the nervous patient, and they explain each check before they do it.
Words to use
- hurt
- gentle
- better
- doctor
- brave
Why it helps
Being the one in charge of the checkup makes doctor visits familiar, so the real thing feels less scary, and caring for teddy builds empathy.