Youngsters at Mintlaw nursery played doctors and nurses yesterday while learning some life-saving tips.
The class spend their afternoon as Dinky Doctors, a scheme run in Aberdeenshire where medical advice is disguised as play,
With instruction from a “nurse” and Dr Potty, the youngsters diagnosed a sick teddy and watched as he got a giant syringe of medicine before they were taught how to listen for breathing and call 999.
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It was also highlighted to the group, who were between the age of three and five, that they should only answer the door to the ambulance people once they arrive and not to strangers.
Dr Potty, AKA Mitch Watt, and Cheryl Jones came up with the Dinky Doctors scheme which is for people of all ages.
He said: “Myself and Cheryl teach first aid to adults for oil and gas, educations, sports and lots of other things but we think children should be taught from a young age.
“During this session we’ve had the usual characters and we get the children involved, dressed them up and taught them about how to react in situations.”
Well done to the Hatton Playgroup Dinky Doctors ??? pic.twitter.com/MAWImSxjgF
— DinkyDoctors (@DinkyDoctors) November 14, 2018
The Mintlaw nursery class were shown a gigantic teddy bear with spots and an air mask who was needing help – all were intrigued and wanted to help the bear recover, which he did by the end of the workshop.
Ms Jones said: “We built on each session at each age level and eventually teach them CPR and how to use a defibrillator.
“The idea was to get children engaged and accustomed with normal medical things by having these interactive programs.
“If children are left until they are academy age then they develop fears where as now these children aren’t scared of blood or feel shy checking if a teddy is breathing.
“If I imagine in a few generations time in this area that everyone knew first aid as they had been taught as youngsters then that would be amazing and any accident would be handled safely and people would be given better treatment and survival rates.”
The nursery teachers were happy to see the children involved and learning.
Early years lead practitioner Rose Macphail said: “It’s a good thing and I think it’s grounding and learning how to react in situations.
“Knowing 999 and not to open the door until you see the ambulance if you find someone who isn’t breathing could be crucial.”
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin also took part in the session, and said: “It will stick with them and they don’t realise they’re learning because it’s so well put together.”
