Having just undergone the thrill of bringing my son to his four-year-old physical (complete with three injections), I offer you my list of ways to pass the interminable time between when the nurse shows you in and the doctor shows up. My preference, because I’m one of those who doesn’t carry a handbag and my son is now out of diapers, is not to schlep a whole bag of toys, but rather to find amusement on location. I’ve found we can get pretty far with a bear, a book, and a writing implement.
- Weigh and measure the teddy bear.
- Read a book. (You can bring one yourself if you don’t want to touch the germ-laden ones in the waiting room. I’ve always found, though, that my son wants to read the ones there, regardless.)
- Take out a pen or crayons and draw pictures on the exam-table paper.
- Re-read the book.
- Play “I Spy.”
- Unroll more exam-table paper. Trace outline of child’s hands. Advanced level: Trace outline of entire child. (This might in fact be good practice for getting her or him to lie still for the exam.) Let child draw on face and clothes.
- Sing songs. Let child use doctor’s stool for drum. Exam-table paper makes a good sound, too.
- Make ghost puppets from tissues. Draw on eyes and put on a show!
- Finally, the classic: Blow up an exam glove into a balloon. Use as a ball, a demonstration cow udder (fingers down), or a dancing chicken (fingers up).
Be prudent with the materials you use, of course. No need to add to the skyrocketing health-care costs in this country. Still, I figure it’s better to distract a child with a glove than have him knock down the opthalmoscope. Also, making clucking noises to the tune of “The Blue Danube Waltz” while waving a rubber glove will guarantee the doctor walks in at that moment.
Any other exam-room ideas (or stories) out there?
