Children's Books that Promote Play, Understanding, and Distraction in the Hospital
This week I am wrapping up my month of "books for the ER" with some books that would truly be great for any area of the hospital. These books are special because they are not intended to be a 5 minute quick read. All 5 of these books allow lots of opportunities to play - either by look and find or by acting out the caretaking that young children see in the hospital.
Hospitals and clinics often come with long waiting times or sometimes include feeling uncomfortable, help your child focus on something besides the pain or the long wait - by engaging in one of these special books. Read below to discover which of these books is best for your environment (if you work in an ER it might be all 5!).
Hospital Heroes Save the Day by R.W. Alley
This is the first time that I have reshared a book, but it does such a good job of giving information and being playful- plus there are several pages that focus on the ER. There is lots to see in each illustration which could be another great time filler during waits in the ER, while also being a great conversation starter about the hospital environment and the things that kids are noticing. The book is similar to Richard Scarry books, as there are lots of different details (both fun and educational) that you can read in addition to the general storyline. The book does a nice job describing a lot of parts of health care and various reasons for admission. The book brings up lots of hospital careers (including a child life specialist) and the author took care to check with hospital experts to make sure the details are correct. (would be good for preschool through upper elementary)
https://amzn.to/3NxnChb
Hospital Search and Find by Fei Zheng-Ward
This book includes many pages of hospital-themed i-Spy. This book can fill time, but it can also reduce anxiety and help a child feel more comfortable in the environment. This book does some simple education about various hospital experiences as well. A lot of this is well-worded, although if I am being nit-picky, a few are still a little confusing. Good for young children through middle elementary.
https://amzn.to/4uCnY6T
All Better! By Henning Lohlein
A simple book that promotes band-aid play. Band-aids can be hugely entertaining for some kids and in the ER environment, this book might engage a child into a conversation about how to fix their own owie. Good for young children-through young elementary.
https://amzn.to/41fYYVu
All Better, Baby by Sara Gillingham
This interactive book encourages small children to take care of the baby’s owies. This includes ice packs, band-aids, and giving love. Different pieces of the book can be taken out and manipulated, which is super fun, but might make it hard to keep track of in the ER. I highly recommend it for young children and children who play and cope with baby/doll play.
https://amzn.to/4uTrUR9
