Vanshika has been deeply engaged with the doctor’s kit during play. She confidently plays with each tool the syringe, stethoscope, thermometer, and light. She loves pretending to be the doctor and eagerly asks others, “Would you like to be my patient?” Her enthusiasm drew several children into the role-play, creating a lively space of care and imagination.

Her eagerness to help others and her curiosity about the materials made me want to extend this interest. I added new provocations to the environment:

• A height chart with a hand-drawn giraffe and measurements in inches and centimetres
• A simple eye-exam chart using shape stencils
• Ice packs
• Boxes of band-aids

I did not introduce the materials verbally. Instead, I wanted to see how the children would choose to explore them on their own.

What Happened
Almost immediately, children approached the new posters with questions. The height chart became an exciting tool for comparison: children lined up to see how tall they were and checked the heights of their friends. The eye chart sparked curiosity but received less attention than the height chart.

The band-aids became an activity of their own. Once the children realized they could open them, the excitement spread. Within thirty minutes, all three boxes were empty as the children placed band-aids on their own bodies, on educators, and even on the classroom teddy bears. The ice packs were also highly sought after.

My Reflection
This experience highlighted the children’s strong interest in caring roles and imaginative medical play.

Introducing materials without verbal instructions allowed the children to take the lead. Their responses showed me how meaningful self-directed exploration can be. The height chart became a tool for mathematical thinking; the band-aids supported fine-motor skills and symbolic play; the ice packs encouraged imaginative caregiving.

Next Steps
Reflecting on the children’s enthusiasm, I would like to extend this learning by:

• Reading books about doctors, nurses, and helpers in the community
• Adding real-life photographs of medical tools and community health workers
• Introducing clipboards, “patient forms,” or drawing paper for children to record observations
• Inviting the children to co-create their own doctor’s office or health clinic area

These next steps may deepen the children’s understanding of caregiving roles while nurturing their empathy, communication, and social imagination.