Say ahhhhh:.

Let's Pretend: Person:.

Props: A stethoscope, a doctor coat, a blood pressure meter, a mask, a mallet, an injection devise or any other typical doctor tool. (As many as possible for your child, and at least one or two of these for you, if you are assigned the role of doctor as you play).

Your Role: Travel guide, historian, and coach.

Directions: Show all of the costume and prop pieces, one at a time, to your child. As you introduce each prop, ask your child if he or she has ever seen any of these when he/she was at the doctor. If he or she hasn't, ask him or her to imagine how it could be used. Encourage your child to retrieve images of going to the doctor. During this demonstration, if your child at any time wants to start to wear the costume pieces or use the props, let him or her. After you have demonstrated all the props and costume pieces, encourage your child to begin an enactment during which he or she portrays the doctor. You may be assigned a role or not. Let the enactment continue until you feel it has reached its natural conclusion.

Goals for You: Your job is to help your child connect memory images of past doctor experiences to current behavior and to create imagination images of new potential experiences which also can stimulate behavior. Also, your task is to present the props and costume pieces in a way that inspire your child. Finally, your job is to participate in the enactment in a way directed by the child.

Goals for Children: : The ultimate goal of this activity is for the child to "try on" the role of doctor and to participate together with you.

Possible Strategy:

What to say "Here's a lot of interesting props? Have you ever seen them or ones like this? If not, can you imagine who might use them?"

What to do Encourage your child to manipulate the props--such manipulation can stimulate recall of images and creation of imagination images.

Possible Shaping:

What to say "Let's act out something that could happen in the doctor's office. Who should I be? What could happen next?

What to do: If your child has only negative experiences of the doctor, you may not wish to conduct this activity. Only if you feel comfortable dealing with these negative feelings (If your child doesn't like the doctor) should you continue. We have found that most children have positive experiences with the doctor and love to portray such a powerful character as a doctor.

Possible Ending:

What to say: "I had fun. Let's do this one again. Next time you go to your doctor, tell him/her that you got to portray one with really good props."

What to do: Put the materials away with gusto.

Material on this site created by Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D. and Yakov M. Epstein, Ph.D. in conjunction with their forthcoming book titled Play for Success. All material on this site is copyrighted and may not be reproduced or cited without written permission of Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D.. Dr. Rosenberg is Associate Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education of Rutgers-The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. Dr. Epstein is Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts and Science of Rutgers-The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. He is also Director of the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education of Rutgers University.

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