MSU Extension Child & Family Development

The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor Book Sheet

July 22, 2022

The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor By Stan and Jan Berenstain

Join Mama, Papa, Brother, and Sister, as they head to Doctor Grizzly’s office for their important check-ups where they will have their temperatures taken, their eyes examined, and their ears checked.

Read this book several times to the children.

Hearing the same story again and again helps them learn new words and understand the ideas they hear

better. Each day, pick a different activity to do with the children after reading “The Berenstain Bears Go

to the Doctor.”

BEFORE READING:

• Show the children the front of the book. Ask them to guess what the book is about.
• Ask them if they can tell how Sister is feeling about their trip to the doctor.
• Ask them what color Mama and Papa’s hats are.

 WHILE READING:

• Stop at any time if there is something you or the children would like to talk about.
• Ask them questions so that they can connect what is happening in the book to things they alreadyknow about. Try some of these ideas:
  • What’s your favorite breakfast food?
  • What kinds of things are in our doctor’s office waiting room?
  • What kinds of things do you think hurt more than a booster shot?

 AFTER READING:

• Spend some time talking about the story. Ask the children things like:
  • What kind of house do the Berenstain Bears live in?
  • What things did Papa say were causing him to sneeze?
  • What sicknesses have you heard of that are stopped or not as bad when you get a shot?

MATH AND SCIENCE

Fill a small bowl with water. Sprinkle a generous amount of black pepper into the bowl. Have your child

stick their finger into the water and have them tell you their observations about what happens to the

pepper. Next, put some dish soap on their finger and have them put it back in the bowl. Ask them to

share their observations on what is different the second time. Discuss how the soap affected the pepper.  

Connect the experiment to washing our hands and how soap helps fight germs similar to how it made the

pepper react.

ART

Gather a variety of materials from around the house (cups, rubber bands, cardboard tubes, string, etc) and build a stethoscope. Each person can make their own using differing materials and then everyone can test them to see which design works the best.

MUSIC

Create a playlist with songs that reference things associated with the doctor or illness (there are lots of

songs that mention doctors, fevers, upset stomachs, etc – internet searches can really help with this!)

Listen to the playlist with the children and have them identify why the songs made it onto the list.

PRETEND PLAY

Let your children be the doctor! Using flashlights, craft sticks, and your homemade

stethoscope, have your child give you an exam. Let them prescribe something to you to help whatever ails

you (hint: ice cream usually cures anything).

For more information, visit: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/topic/info/early_childhood_development

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