Doctor Office Theme Activities for Preschoolers

The doctor theme fits well into the preschool curriculum, particularly within a larger unit on community helpers. The theme offers a variety of objects and ideas that translate well to preschool classroom activities. A mix of activities, such as crafts, dramatic play and math themed around doctors, introduces the kids to the medical field, while alleviating some of the fear associated with doctor visits.

Including a play area in the classroom with doctor-related items lets the kids pretend they work in the medical field. You can even set up a child-sized clinic for doctor-themed activities. A low table works well as the exam table. Include props such as clipboards, tongue depressors, doctor coats, chairs lined up in a pretend waiting room and a toy doctor kit. The kids can play the roles of patients, doctors and other clinic staff. This gives the kids a chance to apply what they already know about doctors into their play -- and develop an even better understanding.

Doctor-themed art projects can inspire creativity, while familiarizing kids with medical supplies. Provide the supplies found in a doctor's office to use as painting implements. Examples include cotton balls, tongue depressors and gauze. The kids can dip the items into the paint and use them to paint a picture. Another art idea is a doctor-themed collage. Use the same types of objects and glue them to cardboard or paper to create a collage. A variation is to cut out doctor office-related pictures from magazines to create the collage.

For a real-life experience, plan a preschool trip to a local clinic. While most kids have been to the doctor multiple times, the field trip gives them a chance to see more of the office and hear about the components. Find a clinic that will give a tour of the facilities, including areas such as the X-ray room. If you can't find an office that offers field trips, invite a local doctor and his staff to visit your preschool classroom.

Doctor-themed counting activities integrate math into play time. Write numbers on tongue depressors for the students to arrange in the correct order. Make two sets of the sticks with matching numbers to create a matching game. Bandages or cotton balls work well as counting objects. Write numbers on small cups or on the bottom of muffin tins. The kids count out the specified number of the objects and place them inside.