Zap Jr. Activities
Basic Anatomy Activities
Role-playing Activities
Operation ® Game






Zap Jr.

This is a defined area for families with children ages 5-8 years old that encourages exploration and learning through play. It is designed to initiate a familiarity with basic human anatomy and to encourage role-play. Ample seating is provided for both children and adults. The area is designed to accommodate approximately twenty-five children at once. Stanchion ribbons incorporated into the modular walls provide the option to enclose the area for individual school groups.

Basic anatomy activities

Role-playing activities:

  • props to encourage role-play
    • brightly colored, child-sized surgical scrub shirts and lab coats
    • toy medical instruments
    • light boxes and body images (X-rays)
    • child-sized examination table
    • pretend sink for "scrubbing up" prior to surgery
  • child-sized images of medical professionals have mirrors above the shoulders so children see themselves wearing medical apparel
  • simple graphic of a child with designated spots for children to place simulated stethoscopes to hear body sounds (a playful graphic of a physician listening to a child's chest accompanies this activity)

Operation® game (click here for a large picture)

Children can pretend to perform surgery by playing an oversized version of Hasbro’s Operation® game. The game is approximately one foot in height, so children can crawl on it as they play.

Science Education Standards for Zap Jr.
  • Personal Health ( K-4)
    • Individuals have some responsibility for their own health. Students should engage in personal care - dental hygiene, cleanliness, and exercise - that maintain and improve health.
  • Science as a Human Endeavor ( K-4)
    • Many people choose science as a career and devote their entire lives to studying it.
  • The Characteristics of Organisms ( K-4)
    • Each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival and reproduction.
  • Understandings about scientific inquiry ( K-4)
    • Simple instruments, such as magnifiers, thermometers, and rulers, provide more information than scientists obtain using only their senses.
Learning Styles for Zap Jr.
  • spatial
  • bodily-kinesthetic
  • interpersonal
  • intrapersonal
What You Learn:
  • Activities in Zap Jr. build on prior knowledge and previous experiences to increase the comfort levels of young visitors with the human body, medical professionals and procedures, as well as various healthcare settings.