A Welcoming Pretend Clinic

🏠 Do together

1. Who welcomes the visitor?

   You need: A large soft toy and paper

   Pretend the toy has arrived at a clinic. Choose who welcomes visitors and who is the doctor. Make a simple name sign for each role. Practise asking the toy's name and showing a comfortable waiting place. Let your child choose a different role on the next turn.

2. A gentle calling sound

   You need: Two large smooth wooden spoons and a whole cloth

   Compare softly touching the spoons together with brushing one spoon across the cloth. Choose a quiet sound for calling the next visitor. Test whether your partner can hear it comfortably, then pair the sound with a hand signal. This is an invented music cue, not a real clinic rule.

3. Help the visitor feel welcome

   You need: The toy, role signs and sound makers

   Pretend the visitor feels worried about waiting. Ask what might help, such as explaining whose turn comes next or letting a carer stay beside them. Use your gentle cue to invite the toy forward. Swap roles and let your child show another possible feeling.

💬 Talk about it

• What does each person do in our pretend clinic?
• How can our calling sound stay gentle?
• What might help our visitor feel welcome?

🔤 Words to use

• clinic
• visitor
• doctor
• welcome
• wait
• worried
• signal