An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
And a fun doctor set makes the day full of play!
Whether your little one dreams of becoming a doctor, or just needs help making sense of the pandemic — playing doctor is a hands-on way to teach healthy habits.
It’s time for a special toy checkup! Let’s take a look at the best wooden doctor kits for kids and toddlers. Doctor’s orders!
Affiliate Link Disclosure – If you see a product you like and click through to buy it, I would genuinely appreciate it. I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It would mean a lot, thanks!
In a hurry?
Here’s a quick list of my picks for the top 5 wooden doctor play sets!
- Doctor’s Suitcase Wooden Toy Set by Janod – Best-selling playset
- Wood Toy Doctor Kit by Imagination Generation – Best blue-colored kit
- Doctor’s Medical Play Set by Le Toy Van – Best premium set
- Montessori Doctor Tool Kit by DT Wood Design – Best handmade playset
- Wooden Dentist Toolbox by UMU – Best for aspiring dentists
Doctor’s Suitcase Wooden Toy Set by Janod
Best-selling play set
With over 700 five-star ratings and an Amazon’s Choice award (at the time of writing), this the most popular pretend first aid kit you can buy. It comes with all the basic tools your kid needs for a complete medical checkup — made with 100% safe, and non-toxic wood. Plus a zippered cloth case for easy portability, because you never know when you’ll need to make a house call!
Dr. Maple’s Wood Toy Doctor Kit by Imagination Generation
Best blue-colored kit
For kids whose favorite color is blue, this set is love at first sight — simply designed and safely painted in a beautiful color scheme of bold royal blue, white, and natural wood. It’s got a spring-action syringe to take the “ouch” out of giving pretend shots and a sturdy wood doctor’s case with a caduceus (medical symbol). The case opens up with a metal latch that younger toddlers might need a little help with.
Doctor’s Medical Play Set by Le Toy Van
Best premium set
This one’s pricier than the average kit, but you’re paying for quality. It’s got a great selection of medical tools. The bag itself is one of this set’s best accessories — with an easy-to-open magnetic clasp to keep all the tools in place nicely. Environmentally-conscious parents will like that it’s handmade from sustainably-sourced rubberwood. I just love the red and light-blue color palette!
Montessori Doctor Tool Kit by DT Wood Design Products
Best handmade doctor play set
Made of natural poplar tree, this handmade doctor kit toy is the stuff Montessori toys are made of. Less flashy details mean your child’s imagination can run wild. Since the wood surface is suitable for painting, you could even make it into a creative wood painting activity, too!
Handmade by the folks at DT Wood Design Products, these medical toys are all-natural and without preservatives or other harmful substances, so it’s safe to touch for toddlers and up.
Wooden Dentist Toolbox by UMU
Best for aspiring dentists
Specially designed for young dentistry professionals, this is the perfect set to teach your child about good oral hygiene — or even curb the anxiety about your little one’s next dentist’s appointment. With realistic dentist tools — like a toothbrush, dental floss, and a teeth-shaped dental mold — you’re kids will surely have something to smile about!
“My First Doctor” Kids Medical Kit by Masterkidz
Best for canvas-lovers
What makes this set most unique is its beautiful red canvas carrying bag and tool pouch with red cross badges and emblems switched right on. The wooden cell phone, which is a great way to teach your kid who to call in case of a medical emergency, too. Made with sustainable European beech and plywood, all parts are designed simple and chunky — perfect for little hands! Do note, this is another set that’s a little pricier.
Handmade Doctor Set by Mamuma Bird
Best for Waldorf fans
From the family-owned business Mamuma Bird, comes a carefully crafted handmade wooden doctor toys. Polished in kid-safe edible linseed oil and beeswax, it’s natural wood grains are gorgeous! For families to like the unique look of natural wooden Waldorf toys, this is the set for you!
Wood Doctor Set by Plan Toys
Best eco-friendly set
Plan Toys is a well-known and trusted brand for its environmentally-conscious approach to imaginative play toys — and this essential doctor’s set is no exception. Made from chemical-free rubber wood and assembled with formaldehyde-free glues, organic pigments, and water-based dyes — it’s a preschooler-sized doctor set approved by mothers and mother earth.
Pretend Doctor Kit for Toddlers by Small Foot Toys
Best budget-friendly set
Get all the essential pretend medical utensils your kid needs to experience the daily work of a doctor in a playful way. Plus when it’s time to clean up, everything fits snugly into its bright-red durable carrying case. Designed in Germany, the set is 100% kid-safe made with non-toxic water-based paint as you’d expect. A toddler doctor kit at an agreeable price tag!
What Are The Benefits Of Medical Play?
There are all sorts of reasons why playing doctor is good for kids. Kids learn best through engaging play experiences! And medical role play provides a safe and educational setting for your kiddo to interface with medical items and health care scenarios. Plus a whole bunch of added benefits!
- Working with toy medical tools, your child will improve their hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
- Going through a round of questions to communicate with pretend patients helps with language development.
- Breaking the news that someone’s got a big bad cold teaches compassion, empathy, and social skills.
- Getting hands-on with pretend medical tools will help help your little one to overcome the fear of doctors and their tools.
- A study by the University of Michigan found that doctor role play can even help ease kid’s anxiety and misconceptions about medical care.
- Remember, medical play isn’t always about “the doctor” — you can encourage all kinds of different medical professions — nurse, veterinarian, dentist, physical therapist, surgeon, pharmacist, or EMT.
Doctor Role Play Tips & Tricks
In real life, a doctor’s visit isn’t something we typically look forward to, so it’s a good idea to set the stage with your child about what’s appropriate and not.
Remind your little one a doctor’s job is to heal people and make them feel better. Even if it’s just pretending, it’s still not very nice to pretend-tell other children they’ve got a serious medical condition.
With some good house rules in place, a pretend doctor’s visit should be tons of fun! For most kids, a realistic doctor role play is even better — and that’s why choosing the right doctor’s playset is so important.
Feel free to mix-and-match in some other items with your wooden set. For example — a real pencil and paper to write down a prescription, some real bandaids to cover up pretend boo-boos, or even arrange the furniture to make the surroundings look that much more like a real doctor’s office.
If it’s been a while since you’ve had a checkup, here’s a quick kid-friendly video refresher for you.
Kids’ Doctor Tools Shopping List
If you never had a doctor set when you were growing up — and you’re not a medical professional yourself — you might be wondering how to shop for the best doctor kits for your kid.
What comes with a kids doctor set? Rest assured, you don’t have to have a Doctor of Science degree to know what items should be in a toy doctor kit. Here’s a handy checklist of the top toy doctor tools to look for.
- Carrying case or bag (very important)
- Stethoscope (heartbeat listener)
- Thermometer
- Syringe or needs (for giving shots)
- Blood pressure gauge
- Otoscope (ear checker)
- Reflex hammer (knee checker)
- Safety scissors
- Medical tweezer (sliver remover)
- Medicine bottles (gel, ointment, disinfectant, etc.)
- Tongue depressor (open wide and say “ah!”)
- Patient chart
- Notebook or clipboard
- Bandage roll or band-aids
- Prescription pill bottle (no meds included)
- Medical pliers (for giving stitches)
- CT display (for x-rays and CAT scans)
- Vaccine (ever since 2020)
Over to you!
There you have it — everything your little medic needs to start an early career in pretend medicine. We took a look at the best children’s doctor sets and learned some tips and tricks for a fun, safe, and educational doctor play experience.
I’d love to hear what your little doctor is up to! Let me know in the comments below.
