I just learned who invented the doctor kit.  Lynn Pressman Raymond’s obituary revealed that she had been the person who invented doctor and nurse kits as toys in the 1950′s. What a huge contribution to children, parents and to the understanding of childrens’s inner lives. The doctor kit, with it’s play thermometer, “ear checker”, blood pressure cuff and most importantly “shot giver”, has helped untold numbers of children feel some control over the scary prospect of a doctor visit or hospitalization.

Through dramatic play with these toy instruments children communicate what they are afraid of, take some control pretending to be both doctor and patient and reduce their anxiety. At Bellevue Hospital we worked in a pre-hospitalization program that used just these toys to explain to parents and children what they were about to experience.  The drop in worry level in parents and children after attending the program was dramatic.

Play, to children, is like talking to adults. It is the medium through which they express what is on their minds, their fears, hopes, and an importnat tool for self soothing. This is nnother reminder of how crucial it is for children to have time for open-ended, unstructured time to play. So here’s to Lynn Pressman Raymond and her doctor kit!