Medical experiences can be overwhelming for children and their families—but what if we could transform fear into curiosity? In this post, we’ll explore how medical play in pediatrics, a practice used by both child life specialists and pediatric nurses, empowers children to feel more in control during healthcare experiences. Through the lens of Mary, a pediatric nurse and founder of The Butterfly Pig, we’ll dive into how therapeutic tools and realistic medical toys are changing the way we support children, parents, and providers.
Whether you’re a medical parent navigating your child’s care, or a pediatric nurse seeking new ways to ease anxiety, this post is for you.
What Is Medical Play and Why It Matters
Medical play is a therapeutic technique that uses real or pretend medical tools to help children process healthcare experiences through play. This isn’t just a cute or creative activity—it’s a research-backed approach that:
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Reduces anxiety and fear in children
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Helps them understand upcoming or past procedures
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Empowers parents to take an active role in their child’s care
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Improves cooperation with medical interventions
Why Parents and Nurses Should Care
As Mary explains, “In peds nursing, you don’t really get taught how to play.” But play is essential. For kids, play is how they make sense of the world—including hospitals and medical procedures.
When nurses and parents engage in medical play, they’re not just entertaining—they’re helping to reduce trauma.
Tools That Transform: How The Butterfly Pig Is Making Play Real
Mary’s company, The Butterfly Pig, creates hyper-realistic medical toys and tools designed for therapeutic play. These aren’t your average doctor kits. They are:
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Miniature and realistic: Butterfly needles, central lines, echo machines, chest tube drains, and more—designed to mirror the real equipment used in pediatric care.
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Safe and interactive: Kids can practice, explore, and become familiar with the tools before they’re used on them.
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Empowering for caregivers: Parents feel equipped to educate and comfort their children.
“The tears legitimately turned to curiosity. She wanted to play with it and practice—and I was able to do her draw so easily.” — Mary, RN
Supporting Every Step of the Journey
Medical play is beneficial:
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Before procedures (preparation and desensitization)
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During hospital stays (coping and distraction)
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After treatment (processing and healing)
Play Isn’t Perfect—And That’s the Point
One of the biggest myths about medical play is that you need to “do it right.” In reality:
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There is no wrong way to play.
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Adults should follow the child’s lead.
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Misunderstandings during play are valuable—they reveal what children need more support understanding.
“The simpler, the better. Just introduce the tools and observe.” — Mary
A Few Medical Play Tips:
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Let children take the lead with dolls or toys.
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Observe what they say (e.g., “This is going to hurt”) to identify fears or misconceptions.
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Don’t interrupt or correct during play—note it for follow-up.
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Use child-friendly resources like The Butterfly Pig or the SupportSpot app to find age-appropriate tools and guides.
Real-Life Stories: The Power of Play in Action
A Sibling’s Confidence in the NICU
Mary’s daughter Josie, just 4.5 years old, visited her baby sister in the NICU surrounded by intimidating medical equipment. But Josie wasn’t scared—she recognized everything thanks to medical toys and coloring pages she’d explored at home. Instead of fear, she entered with excitement.
“I know what that is, Mom! You have that!” — Josie
From Patient to Educator
A young boy with HLHS used a toy echo machine before his appointment. When he arrived for his real echo, he proudly taught the technician how to use it. That’s what confidence through play looks like.
A Bear, an IV, and a Breakthrough
A three-year-old oncology patient refused a blood draw. So Mary placed an IV catheter on the child’s teddy bear first. The child’s fear dissolved as she practiced on the bear—and the procedure went smoothly afterward.
Why Play Shouldn’t Just Be for Child Life Specialists
Child life specialists are trained experts in medical play, but as Mary and Katie discuss, anyone—parents, nurses, caregivers—can be part of the play. And the more people who engage, the more children benefit.
If you’re a nurse or parent wondering if medical play is for you, the answer is yes.
“You’re doing such a big thing—desensitizing kids to what would normally be scary and making it fun.” — Katie Taylor, CCLS
Related Resources
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📱 SupportSpot App – Download for tools, videos, and guides to help you explain medical procedures to your child.
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🧸 The Butterfly Pig – Explore realistic medical play tools and custom kits for home or hospital use.
Key Takeaways
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Medical play in pediatrics helps children process and prepare for healthcare experiences through imaginative, hands-on exploration.
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Tools like realistic medical toys make play more accessible for parents and nurses, not just child life specialists.
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Play can turn fear into curiosity, build confidence, and promote healing.
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Letting children lead play—and simply observing—offers profound insights into their thoughts and feelings.
🎧 Want to hear more?
Listen to Mary’s full story on Episode 262 of the Child Life On Call podcast and share it with a parent or provider in your life. Empower more kids to face healthcare with confidence.
Ready to Transform How You Support Kids During Procedures?
Join the Comfort Position Masterclass and gain the confidence, language, and hands-on techniques you need to reduce trauma and increase cooperation during medical procedures. This on-demand training is perfect for pediatric nurses, child life specialists, and healthcare professionals who want to make every interaction more supportive and safe.
✅ Evidence-based strategies
✅ Expert-led demonstrations
✅ Immediate tools you can use tomorrow
🧸 Because how we position kids matters.
👉 Enroll in the Comfort Position Masterclass now and become a calm, confident presence in every procedure room.
