Career day-toddler class

[Followingfootsteps]

Hello.

I was asked to present to a toddler class about being a nurse this week. Any idea of how I can explain what nurses do to that age group? I'm also thinking of explaining healthy snacks or doing an activity w one of my tools. We have an arts and craft activity planned after. Any advice would be appreciated!i want the kids to understand and have fun.

Thanks

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Wow, career day for toddlers? Really?

Well, perhaps you could utilize various dolls to show about physically caring for children and adults. You could even engage the kids this way by letting them "help" you.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Wow, this must be a forward thinking group! I really question their comprehension. That makes me question the educator's competence. My children have 2 parents as nurses and they really never knew beyond "they help sick people". I really think this is for the parents exclusively. Good luck.

[MHDNURSE]

I would bring my stethoscope, oto/opthalmoscope, reflex hamer...let them all hold, touch, and try using them on a doll or stuffed animal. Explain that nurses are one of the "helpers" and what they do to keep you well or make you better of you are sick. Keep it simple, concrete. Maybe even find a cute song or rhyme to teach them about being sick and being healthy: Songs that Teach Children About Their Bodies, Healthy Habits, Fitness, and Illness

[OldDude]

Run! As fast as you can! You'll have more luck trying to nail jello to a tree.

[Extra Pickles]

I wonder who on this Earth came up with the idea of Career Day for toddlers. Honestly, what were they thinking????

Use this as an opportunity to make the babes' visits to their pediatrician less scary. Like the others said, let them play with the real equipment, if you have a white coat let them put that on too! Yes, huge, but Dress Up Fun. Let them tell you what they find scary about their visits, why they don't like going (because of course they don't like going!) and take this opportunity to answer their questions and make the visits non-awful.

Forget Career Day, give these babies a chance to relax around people in white coats and scrubs, and you'll be doing parents a favor!

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Focus on medical play. Stethoscope, BP cuff, scale, maybe an otoscope if you have one. Dolls to demonstrate vitals and basic physical assessment. These kids won't have the attention span or retention to listen to you talk about what you do. If you help just a few of them be a little less afraid of doctor's visits, you'll have succeeded.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

That is the single greatest waste of time I've heard of in a long, long time. Toddlers?

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

I can understand preschoolers to an extent -- my husband, as part of his grad program in nursing, presented to my son's preschool class back in the day. However, it was geared to: "boys can be nurses too!" Then it was manipulating his stethoscope, etc.

And even that was tough.

But toddlers? Good gravy, NO.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I think the OP has it easy. Can you imagine how the Actuary is agonizing over her presentation?

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

That sounds a bit silly, no offense!!

[NotYourMamasRN]

I did this once, I dressed up as a carrot and came into the class to the Rocky Song. We danced, learned about exercise and eating healthy, and all about doctors appointments. I found that the more I engaged the kids to be active and silly, the more they understood and paid attention.