Dr Pooch is a cuddly toy that aims to teach children how to dress themselves. It helps children to buckle up their belts, button up their clothes and tie their shoelaces. The dog features a removable soft jacket, floppy ears and a jingly stethoscope, so there are lots for children to do and engage with.
Not only is this an educational toy, but it is also an endearing soft toy for children to cuddle!
“It boosted confidence and my son was extremely happy when he managed the fastenings by himself.” Mother of boy aged 4
“I love the laces on his shoes so I can practice learning how to tie my shoes.” Girl aged 6
Dr Pooch is a delightful cuddly dog that helps children learn the skills needed for getting dressed on their own. Our testers all really enjoyed the product although they needed to be shown the scope of the product (and the fact it is not just a soft toy) to start with. They especially like zipping and unzipping the jacket and putting objects in his pockets. Some of the tasks were harder than others, for example doing the belt buckle and tying the laces, so there was an element of progression.
Learning to fasten buttons, velcro, etc. is really important for children to be able to dress themselves, which develops their independence and self-care abilities. It is a shame that children don’t have to actually start the zip, as this is the trickiest part of zipping something up. It also improved their fine motor control (the small movements with their fingers and hands) which are needed for writing.
– Helps develop fine motor skills
– Enables children to gain independence
– Develops children’s ability to dress themselves
