How To Entertain Young Kids At The Dentist Office Waiting Area
When you have many kids with a dental appointment at the dentist's office, a primary concern is keeping kids entertained while awaiting their turn in the dental chair. While you can leave your children occupied with cell phones and tablets, younger kids may not be this entertained with devices and can be the hardest of your brood to entertain in the first place. Here are suggestions for keeping your little ones entertained while they wait in the dentist's waiting area.
Bring oral hygiene supplies
While your little ones are waiting for their turn to see the dentist, you can entertain them by letting them show you how they have been practicing brushing and flossing their teeth. Bring your children's oral hygiene supplies with you to the dentist's office and have your children use a small mirror to practice their oral hygiene while they wait their turn.
This makes the waiting not only entertaining but a learning experience as well for all: your family dentist will be interested in seeing what your little ones use to keep their mouths clean at home, and your children may be more willing to show dentists how they practice oral hygiene on their own when they have their personal toothbrushes and floss with them.
Bring activity books
Activity books, complete with coloring crayons, stickers, and other items, can help keep little ones entertained even if they cannot color between the lines yet. Let them use activity books that have blank pages for free coloring, and help keep your younger kids entertained while waiting at the dentist office by showing them easy art ideas, such as:
- tracing their hands
- drawing a circle/smiley face
- creating shapes
- playing tic-tac-toe
- drawing a sun/tree
Make sure you bring activity book supplies that are non-destructive, so keep markers and clay at home so you don't have to worry about heavy dentist office cleanup after.
Bring a photo book
If little kids are too young or disinterested to read, they may be entertained while waiting at the dentist's office if you bring a photo book filled with their images or images of people and animals they know. A photo book will help distract a child who is eager to get out of the dentist's office and can make the family dentist visit even easier by allowing your little one to continue to be distracted by the book while they are getting their teeth checked.
To limit the amount of time your children spend waiting to see the dentist, arrive at the dentist's office, then call reception from the car to see how long your wait will be. If your dentist isn't ready to see your children when you arrive, then the wait can be mostly done from the vehicle until closer to the appointment starting time.
To schedule an appointment, reach out to a family dentist near you.