How Kids Can Play Doctor: Get a Shot. Give a Shot.®

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser #GiveaShot. All opinions are my own. #CollectiveBias

With twins it is often “You first then me“ for anything unpleasant that must happen. When it comes to getting a shot at the doctors office, it’s definitely YOU first!  Getting shots is not usually a very pleasant experience for kids, but it’s necessary in order to immunize kids against things like whooping cough or meningitis.  At Walgreens clinics for anyone who goes first to get a shot they will donate a shot to a child in need. It’s Get a Shot. Give a Shot. ® allowing you and your kids to really play doctor.

At my son’s 15 month appointment my daughter Alison declared she wanted to be a doctor! It was the first profession she’s ever claimed as wanting to be when she grows up. While it is likely to change 100 times over the coming years, it’s fun to encourage her in whatever she’s interested in.  My daughters have loved playing doctor. They love giving shots to their animals, dolls, and me, their mom. They use pens or pencils to give a shot, and put on pretend band-Aids on afterward, shushing their crying toy or their crying mom.

We decided to step up their pretend shot-giving sessions with some new boxes of Band-Aids from Walgreens. They ended up grabbing a Teenage Ninja Turtles box and a Disney Princesses box. Cause they have to be different.

When we got home I told them we were going to play doctor and grabbed one of their Elsa baby dolls. They then proceeded to give a shot to her in all sorts of interesting body parts and cover just about every part of skin with their colorful new band-aids. As they did so I talked to them a little bit about why they receive shots at the doctor’s office, how it helps them from getting really sick or perhaps even dying from certain viruses and diseases. So, even though shots aren’t fun, being sick for days or weeks with something very scary is worth the tiny prick. And hey, you always get a colorful band-aid afterward right?

And then they had fun playing doctor on me, giving me a shot, and then another, and another. And we had far too much fun taking pictures of ourselves as we did it. Because I really love going all out with the facial contortions, screaming, kicking, and pretend wailing when I’m given a shot. The girls love, love seeing me act this way. Their faces are priceless and sometimes I think I really fool them and their face expresses something between concern and laughter. It’s so great.

So, if you have a school-aged child 7+, have them get their school immunizations, like whooping cough or meningitis, at Walgreens so you can Get a Shot. Give a Shot. ® Help give some needy child a [email protected]. That way you can really play doctor.

Do you let your kids give you “shots?” Do they ever play doctor?