While I don’t mind taking my child to the doctor, things change when we get there. The child I once knew, who was remotely calm, has become this super energetic child. He’s racing around, getting excited, and I am sitting there wondering how to keep him busy. Here are 7 ways to keep any child busy at the doctor’s office. You can fit these activities into your purse or diaper bag.
#1. Coloring book and crayons.
Coloring books come in all shapes and sizes. You can easily grab a small one, plus a few crayons and let your child go to town. If you forget these for the doctor’s office, you can ask the receptionist if they have any on hand. This is always a great way to keep your child bust at the doc’s office.
#2. Bring your phone with you.
Who are we kidding? No matter what you bring, your child will always want your phone. I try to baby/toddler proof my phone, so that I am less concerned with them breaking something. I also make sure I have appropriate games put on my phone for my toddler. When they have an app they love, they can stay busy for hours.
#3. Play with your child.
I know it can be hard to want to focus on playing with your child when you just want them to play what is available on the waiting room. However, use the doctor’s office as a chance to spend time with your kids. Playing with your child is sure to keep them super busy!
#4. Bring puzzles with you.
Something small that fits into my purse or diaper bag are puzzles. This is a great tool, especially as your kids get older. Bringing puzzles with you allows you to keep your child busy and they are learning along the way.
#5. Busy bags are an awesome idea.
I have seen this idea a thousand times and I love it every time. You can make busy bags by throwing different activities into a bag. You can make an activity bag out of small airplanes. Another idea for a busy bag is making a small race car track and putting it in a bag with a few cars. There are so many great ideas for this.
#6. Don’t arrive too early, but bring snacks with you.
The no fail approach to keeping your child busy at the doctor is to bring snacks with you. If your child doesn’t want the snacks, at least you’ll have something to munch on. Another small tip is to not arrive to early. I try to get there five minutes early. Don’t forget how long the average person waits at a doctor’s office.
#7. Soft squishy balls.
You should skip the bouncy balls because those aren’t appropriate for a doctor’s office. However, I love bringing soft squishy balls with us! What kid doesn’t enjoy playing with these types of toys? If you don’t have these on hand, then grab the playdough.
What ways do you try to keep your child busy at the doctor?
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