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We’re in a time of transition, in almost every aspect of the industry. No doubt many of you are using this time of social distancing and near-empty stores to plan for the day when relative normalcy returns—including adjusting some key components of your optical. A designated waiting area for kids can allow moms and dads to take their time getting exams and selecting eyewear, without forcing your office manager to double as babysitter. It’s also a good way to generate some referrals between grateful parents. For vision therapy specialists, it can even be integrated into the treatment area. You don’t have to spend a huge amount or expand your optical—as these nine practices show, a little creativity is all it takes.

The kids’ playroom at Belle Plaine Eyecare Center in Belle Plaine, MN takes its inspiration from the great outdoors, with one large mural of a nature-scape covering each wall and a play bench that recalls a log. The log bench serves as the habitat for several oversized stuffed animals for children to enjoy, and also contains toys and games.

The children’s play area at Premier Eyecare in Knoxville, TN was designed to feel private enough that the kids can really become occupied, while being sufficiently visible to allow patients to try on glasses without distractions while still being able to keep an eye on their children. “We continue to get compliments every day from our patients,” says owner Dr. Brent Fry.

A bigger play area doesn’t necessarily make for a better play area. Just ask Jenna Gilbertson Steiner, office manager and optician at McCulley Optix Gallery in Fargo, ND, which has a modest kids’ corner right next to the children’s frames. Gilbertson Steiner says she’s pressed for space, but a TV helps keep the little ones occupied. There’s also a toy basket, which gives the eye doctor “a chance to talk to the parents while the kids are distracted.” Wall art produced by local students is changed every six months by the Junior League.

At Forsight Vision in Long Grove, IL, the kids’ waiting room serves as both a play area and a place where vision therapy is occasionally conducted. In the room, children will find all the entertainment essentials. There are also fun activities like optometry-related crossword puzzles and word searches. The practice also serves snacks and refreshments like cookies and hot chocolate, as well as lemonade in the summer.

Here’s something you don’t often see through the window of a waiting room: the ocean. Located at the back of the office and separate from the main waiting room, the kids’ play area at Honolulu Eye Clinic in Honolulu, HI offers a cityscape, views of the Pacific Ocean and plenty of natural light. The room has three tables where children can sit, as well as coloring books, blocks and Legos. The practice also has a specially equipped examination room for children complete with toys and DVDs to facilitate the eye exam.

When Dr. Katie McElvaine and her husband Scott started Springfield Family Vision in Springfield, MO, they wanted to create an environment that felt welcoming to families. That’s why their vision therapy room doubles as a play area. Kids can keep busy with a swing, an exercise ball, blocks, puzzles and other games that are used in the one-on-one therapy sessions. “The kids will be occupied and learn visual skills at the same time,” Dr. Katie says.

At EyeStyles Optical and Boutique in Oakdale, MN, the cozy kids’ nook snuggled in one corner of the optical embodies owner Nikki Griffin’s maxim that “Great design isn’t about spending the most money, it’s about taking a few good pieces and putting them together in a way that sings.”

The play area at Weber Vision Care in Harrisburg, PA attracts not only the waiting children from its own practice, but also those who can see into the room through the window of a neighboring dental business. Kids from either office are invited to enjoy the space, which has a TV set to the Disney Channel, play kitchen, bean bag chairs and books.

The ‘Jungle Play Room’ for young patients at Ziegler Leffingwell Eyecare in New Berlin, WI has a starlit ceiling, dragonfly lights, Brio train set and lots of other toys. And the last time we checked in with the practice (pre-COVID), all kids were getting an ice cream cone Rx after their exam.

9 Cool Kids’ Waiting Rooms to Inspire Your Post-COVID Redesign

9 Cool Kids’ Waiting Rooms to Inspire Your Post-COVID Redesign

We’re in a time of transition, in almost every aspect of the industry. No doubt many of you are using this time of social distancing and near-empty stores to plan for the day when relative normalcy returns—including adjusting some key components of your optical. A designated waiting area for kids can allow moms and dads to take their time getting exams and selecting eyewear, without forcing your office manager to double as babysitter. It’s also a good way to generate some referrals between grateful parents. For vision therapy specialists, it can even be integrated into the treatment area. You don’t have to spend a huge amount or expand your optical—as these nine practices show, a little creativity is all it takes.