Children are naturally drawn to helping animals and whether they’ve experienced an animal in need first-hand or simply love animals, this vet play activity is a winner.
I’ve also created some free vet play printables that will help extend their learning further (download them below).
Vet play builds:
- Connections with animals
- Animal knowledge
- Empathy for animals
- Real-world knowledge
- Problem-solving
- With the printables: Scissor and literacy skills
Vet play set up
It’s pretty easy to set up a vet space to encourage real-world play. Your set up can include but isn’t limited to:
- Tweezers
- Play doctor equipment (we already has a stethoscope)
- Thermometer
- Bandages
- Pretend medicine
- A little table for check-ups
- Play knife (for surgery)
- Boxes (places to keep animals overnight)
- Phone (to ring customers when an animal need to be picked up)
- Stuffed or toy animals
- Stationary
- Vet play printables (see below)
Vet Play PrintablesÂ
These free printables will encourage children to think and advance their learning in this activity.
Vet Appointment Sheet Â
This next appointment printable is great to have on hand with more than one child involved in the activity (or if it’s mum and child). Children love to fill out the appointment cards and deliver them to ensure animals have their regular check-ups.
Vet Surgery Animal Record Sheet
Your kids will love these vet animal record sheets. Kids will love creating scenarios where animals have been hurt, they’ll love writing how the animal was treated too. Signing their name will also make them feel like a real vet.
If your children aren’t yet familiar with types of animals, this basic animal classification activity would be a good way to explore this.
Set up a vet play area and watch the area come to life. Your children will simply adore this activity, print out the vet play printables today and encourage more play in your home or classroom.
Hi!!
how ,uch i always enjoy yout blog!
We should collaborate for the world animal day the 4th of october!
Would you like to do a bloghop with me?
Please write me!
Love, angie
Hey Angie!
Yes, we must collaborate! I’ll email you shortly. I just have to get a couple of important post done and then I’ll email you xx
Bondi Vet is one of our favourite shows and my girls have been playing their own version of the show.
My eldest wants to be a dancer and a vet (not sure how that works!).
I’m going to print out the resources you have created to add to their game.
Thanks Penny!
Can’t we have nine career choices in our lifetime now? She can be a vet and a dancer and still have lots of left over career choices after that. 🙂
SO glad your girls will use them Kirri. That makes me super happy!
My daughter would love this and whilst we’ve played vets before, the addition of your awesome printables will take it to a new level. Thanks so much for sharing! Pinned 🙂
Thank you Debs! I noticed that you pinned it. I really appreciate your support hon.
This is just to sweet….i love the pics of your little vet, isn’t she just gorgeous!! Wonderful printables, my girls are loving hospital play at the moment but with the loss of our doggy friend recently they are very interested in all things ‘animal doctor’ so i think it might be a good time to do this sort of play…thanks so much for sharing Penny x
Thank you Jode. She really did suit being a vet. I loved the massive gloves! he he he
This is so cute. Thanks for the printouts. I especially liked the classifications on the Animal Record Sheet.
I couldn’t help adding some wildlife education in there Mama Carmody 😛
I always wanted to be a vet when I was little and so I would have loved this. You have provided us with so many support to encourage and set up this play. Thanks so much. I look forward to doing it with my little girl this arvo.
I can;t remember wanting to be a Vet. I always wanted to be a zoo keeper I think. They, while I was a zoo keeper, I got to really see what Vets do and I was blown away. I think I would have loved to have been a vet!
hope they liked the resources it Kate!
What a wonderful dramatic play idea. We haven’t played Vets before but are sure to now!
Yay Hannah. We hadn’t played vets either but we’ve been doing it lots since this post 🙂
Love this Penny 🙂 xo P
wow! talk about perfect timing! at store yesterday my LO begged, cried and did NOT get a little cute stuffy kitty w/big big eyes, just like the one in photo. she is also a very reluctant reader/writer! i have come to end of my rope w/that lol! but now, you saved us BOTH: 1-LO will get her kitty as a surprise after school today 2- i will get her ‘reading’ & writing FOR SURE!!! Thank you ever so kindly for sharing this for FREE–its priceless to ME!
I am so glad I have helped Jeanine and I hope she enjoys her new kitty and gives it a good check up every week! 🙂
make more pretend printables please
Hi Aubrey,
What kinds of pretend play printables would you like me to make?