| In any waiting room, the children are going to be at | | | | amount of space. In addition, many wooden activity |
| the very least cranky and at the worst, nervous and | | | | cubes can be surrounded with small chairs, allowing |
| scared on top of possibly feeling ill. It is extremely | | | | several children to play with it at once. This |
| important in any waiting room situation to provide | | | | maximizes your space and gives the children a |
| children with some sort of distraction or | | | | chance to play with each other. |
| entertainment, but in a hospital or clinic situation, it is | | | | In pediatric waiting rooms, especially, it is very |
| absolutely vital. The child's guardian will be busy | | | | important to set the right tone. Pediatric clinic toys |
| dealing with paperwork and will have little ability to | | | | should encourage a restful attitude in a child, |
| entertain a restless child. Waiting room toys can be a | | | | encouraging them to relax and be trusting. Educational |
| great way to make sure the parents can do what | | | | toys are ideal, pleasing both parent and child, and can |
| they need to do. | | | | even give the doctor and the child something to talk |
| One place to start is an activity table. Activity tables | | | | about during the session. It is very important that |
| come in a variety of educational models, so the child | | | | children who are in a medical situation trust and |
| can learn as well as play. The size of the activity | | | | respect the person who isexamining them, and one |
| table will make it difficult for a child to walk off with | | | | way to do that is set them at ease from the very |
| it and it will also reduce mess for staff when the | | | | moment they walk in the door. If the child associates |
| time comes for cleanup. This is also a device that | | | | the office with fun toys and bright colors, he or she |
| encourages quiet play, rather than toy drums or | | | | might be less nervous the next time a visit has to |
| keyboards. Activity tables are designed for toddlers | | | | occur, making the situation easier on everyone. |
| and preschoolers and with their bright colors and | | | | Waiting area activities toys can also set the mood. |
| educational aspect, they will be ideal for a waiting | | | | While quiet is probably ideal, there is a huge |
| room. Activity tables also have the advantage of | | | | difference between a quiet sullen waiting room and a |
| being entirely enclosed, making clean-up a breeze. | | | | bright enthusiastic one. One way to affect the mood |
| Wooden activity cubes are another good choice for | | | | of your waiting room is through the toys you keep |
| any waiting area. These self-contained activity | | | | there. If you can make them fun and entertaining, |
| centers are excellent for grabbing a child's attention. | | | | your customers will be grateful and so will their |
| A multitude of activities can be combined into one | | | | children. |
| unit, lending a great deal of versatility to a small | | | | |