Child life specialists often use coping kits to help provide distraction with children going through medical procedures. The kits are often filled with a variety of toys and sensory items to ease anxiety, encourage deep breathing and provide normalcy with PLAY!
A fun activity to do at home or with patients in the hospital is to have them create their own coping kit. Children can design a bag and then fill it with toys and comfort items. This is a great way to help prepare your child for a doctor appointment. Children who have frequent visits to doctors and specialists can really benefit from a coping kit.
All you need is a canvas bag, ink stamps, stickers and paint.
While the kids are decorating their bag, you can begin to discuss what will happen at their checkup, what the bag can be used for and what items they want to put in it.
Toys to pack in the coping kit:
- Bubbles
- Magic glitter wands
- Squishy balls
- Books- Look and Find or I-Spy
- Blanket
- Pacifier
- Stuffed animal
- Hand held game
- iPad/headphones
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