| A visit to the dentist is often fraught with anxiety | | | | sets that have to be pushed along rather than |
| but toys in a dentist' waiting room might be the | | | | have the worry of electricity and fragile moving |
| answer for children. So which ones should your | | | | parts being within the sphere of influence of |
| dentist have? | | | | young hands that may not be totally supervised. |
| It behoves the dentist to have a range of toys, | | | | Another possibility is to have various sets of |
| such as Schleich characters, to appeal to all age | | | | model cars or figures that children can play with. |
| groups so that any young patient can find | | | | Corgi toys are a long-time favourite with small |
| something of interest. Children are always | | | | boys who will spend ages running them up and |
| apprehensive going to the dentist and will seldom | | | | down, even if only allowed limited space. A |
| settle down to look at a book, unless the parent | | | | smooth area of lino is much better for this than a |
| takes an active role in helping the child to read or | | | | carpet. |
| by pointing out a story being told in pictures. | | | | Many children like to play with models of farm |
| Much better then, to have plenty of toys that a | | | | animals, or dinosaurs, or soldiers on horseback, |
| child can interact with, so long as they are not too | | | | and there is an incredible range of these toys |
| noisy and likely to disturb other patients who may | | | | produced by the Schleich company of Germany. |
| also be waiting. The very small toddler is naturally | | | | There is choice of: a world of history set with |
| inquisitive so toys that involve different objects of | | | | dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals, the world of |
| various colours and shapes, sorting them or | | | | knights, the world of American Indians, the world |
| putting them into the right place, are ideal to hold | | | | of fantasy, and sets depicting horse-riding with |
| their interest. Maze and pathfinder toys enhance | | | | cowboys, race jockeys, and dressage sets. |
| hand-eye co-ordination and an understanding of | | | | Sets of models like these are a good investment |
| cause and effect. | | | | since they will stand up well to wear and tear, and |
| It is always exciting for a child to come across | | | | will appeal across a broad range of children's ages |
| toys in the waiting room that they don't have at | | | | and interests |
| home or may never have seen before. The | | | | Gone are the days when your child is expected |
| likelihood of this is increased if the dentist has the | | | | to sit quietly waiting for the dentist with nothing |
| space for a wide range of toys. | | | | to look at except a goldfish in a bowl and an |
| Older children are often great fans of model race | | | | outdated issue of "The Spectator". These days a |
| tracks like Scalextric or miniature railway sets but | | | | progressive dentist will have a comfortable waiting |
| these more sophisticated toys may not stand up | | | | room with enough of interest for all members of |
| for long against the treatment meted out by | | | | the family, even the very youngest. With |
| children day in and day out. It may be necessary | | | | interactive toys, such as from Schleich, your child |
| to settle for more robust, simpler model train | | | | may even look forward to going to the dentist! |