I was excited to create a teddy bear clinic for a group of children in Burnaby. As a child life specialist, I often use medical play to help children gain comfort and confidence with medical experiences like going to the doctor or the dentist. A teddy bear clinic is a type of medical play that simulates a regular doctor visit, but the child is the doctor and a teddy bear is their patient. It is a child-directed play experience where children move through different activity stations at their own pace, using toy and real medical supplies to give their Teddy a check up.
I partnered with a daycare centre run by Burnaby Family Life, and the centre staff were so excited and supportive of the project! They provided me with their beautiful space, and staff to make the project successful, and this wouldn’t have been possible without them! It was so wonderful to partner with a group that really understands the value of play, and is so generous with their time and resources!
The children made doctor ID badges for themselves, and ID bracelets for their bears, gave them a check up, looked at x-rays on the light table, wrapped their bears with casts, gave them medicine, applied bandaids, and comforted them.
Importantly, the children were so focused and engrossed in the play, and seemed to enjoy this novel experience! The children went home with new teddy bears covered with bandaids and casts, as well as a growing comfort and confidence with going to the doctor.