Hurry Up and Wait! Tips For Surviving a Trip to the Doc

Every editorial product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission.

Visits to the pediatrician can be painful — and I'm not talking about the finger pricks and shots. For parents stuck in a small exam room with an even smaller child who has the smallest of attention spans, the wait can be agonizing. Before you head out for your tot's next doctor appointment, be sure to pack these tips and tricks for keeping kiddos entertaining while waiting (and waiting) for the doctor to arrive.

Bring Coloring Books

Bring Coloring Books

Coloring books are an easy and portable way for artistic tots to keep busy.

Eye Spy With My LIttle Eye

Eye Spy With My LIttle Eye

The game Eye Spy can be used just about anywhere, and the doctor's office provides lots of new items to peep.

Allow Electronics

Allow Electronics

Strict on electronic usage? Allow your child some rare iPhone time while waiting, and they'll be happy to be quiet and still. This works especially well for older kids and teens.

Have a Ball

Have a Ball

While stuck waiting with my 3-year-old during a last-minute trip to his doctor, I randomly found a small ball in my purse and gave it to him to play with. And he, well, had a ball. This was not my ideal boredom buster, as I apologized to the staff for the all the ruckus, but they all said it was no problem!

Pack Books

Pack Books

Books are a great way to get kiddos to sit quietly. You might even capture their attention more if the book is about visiting the doctor like this family favorite: The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor ($5). Plus, bringing your own stack means avoiding the germy ones already there.

Make It a Time to Learn

Make It a Time to Learn

Kids love learning, and parents don't always have the time to take advantage of opportunities for teaching. Until now. Use a framed picture of a pride of lions to show them the difference between female lions and male lions. Show them how tongue depressors are used. Explain why there is white paper on the table. You get the idea.

Sing Songs

Sing Songs

We sing songs for two reasons. First, it's fun, and my kids love it. Second, the joyful noise drains out other scarier doctor's office sounds, like the wailing baby down the hall.

Reward Patience

Reward Patience

Some may call it bribery, but I like to think of it as rewarding my child for being super patient.

Arm Yourself With Snacks

Arm Yourself With Snacks

Kids almost always want a snack, and no worse a place to find yourself without a few munchies for your ravenous tot than the exam room. Just be sure to wash hands first!

Create a To-Go Bag

Create a To-Go Bag

Make a bag that serves as your to-go bag when you're out with your child and need to keep him busy. Put special toys and activities in it that he is only allowed to play with when you're out (so they seem new). The same bag can be used for restaurants!

Improvise

Improvise

We don't always head to our child's doc with time to plan the visit, so improvise. Kids can be convinced that just about anything is a toy as long as you make it fun! One caveat though: using exam room gloves as toys/balloons should be avoided. North Carolina pediatrician Dr. Christoph Diasio explains the reasoning, "The concern about blowing up gloves is that a some children choke on balloons every year, so many docs/nurses are worried the child will choke on the gloves."

Catch Up on Homework

Catch Up on Homework

No distractions and plenty of free time? Sounds like a great way to get homework done. Younger kids without real assignments can still get in on the action — I stock up on workbooks from the dollar store for my 5-year-old, and she loves doing her "homework."