Even very early in life babies can hear a wide variety of sounds. Infants will turn towards the sound of a toy and begin to reach towards it. This ability to recognise the direction that a sound is coming from improves greatly during the first few years of life. Young infants listen longer to the sound of human voice and seem to prefer it to any other sound. They are especially aware of the sound of language and like to be spoken to slowly and with a high pitch. This is sometimes referred to as ‘infant directed speech’ or even ‘baby talk’. Young babies are quite sensitive in their auditory abilities and can perceive all the categorical sound distinctions in world languages. As babies develop their auditory abilities narrow so that eventually babies are only sensitive to those sound categories specific to their native language. Trips to the doctor can be very frightening for young children and all the explaining in the world doesn't seem to help reassure them. This activity center/first aid kit set includes a small wellness station where one child can sit and be cared for while another child does the examination. Not only are these a lot of fun for kids, but there are many benefits to getting your child a pretend doctor's kit. Doctors, nurses, nurse aides, and other medical care staff are typically caring and empathetic individuals.

Role play is a form of social pretend play. Children benefit from social pretend play because it can help them to revisit events that may have provoked some anxiety in the past. For instance, after a visit to the doctors children often play at being doctors and nurses. Role play not only reflects but also contributes to children’s cognitive and social skills. Playing out an experience enables children to understand more about it. Early play in infants tends to be solitary or takes place alongside other children. Young children learn how to interact with other children through play but they can also explore and learn independently. The initial play experience for infants is when they begin to explore through moving and acting upon the world. Many toys offer infants the opportunity to learn more about their world. Young children will sometimes act out some aspect of their lives e.g. going to the shops and then they involve their toys in these activities. These young children are playing independently but they are also reinforcing their understanding of the social world by acting out scenarios.

If you are looking for some fun, Montessori-aligned doctor kits for your toddler or preschooler, you are in the right place. It reminds me a bit of the faux medical station at our local children's museum. The kids go right to it every time we visit.

Some of these kits include items used in dental offices, as well, which can be helpful for encouraging your child to take care of their teeth. Encourages a child's imagination While you'll not find doctor kits in a typical Montessori classroom outside of a guest presentation, this type of imaginative play is encouraged in Montessori. Of course, there are other benefits, like fine motor development and sensory development, but the main benefits are imagination and empathy. These kits are also great for helping children process emergency medical situations after they occur. A great way to encourage creative and imaginative role-play sessions and help children understand the process of going to see the Doctor. Promotes social and language skills as children talk to their patient, discussing their health.

Developmental Benefits

Encourages nurturing behaviour and empathy. Safe, non-toxic; contains no BPA, PVC, phthalates or external coatings.

The kits on my list are as realistic as you'll find. 5 fun Montessori-aligned doctor kits Melissa and Doug Doctor Activity Center & First Aid Kit Getting your child a doctor's kit can help them get used to the instruments that they'll encounter during doctor's visits. A doctor's kit is a great way to encourage your child to reenact medical scenarios they've seen and come up with some scenarios of their own. Encourages empathy Children make sense of the world around them through play, which is why it's important to encourage imaginative play. A couple of years ago, my 2-year-old had an emergency surgery and hospitalization and he received a small doctor's kit at the hospital from the Child Life staff. He used it (and still does) to make sense of all the procedures he went through.