Play promotes typical development and allows children to express their fears, anxieties, and misconceptions and better cope with stressful experiences. Therefore, play is often used in the medical setting to normalize the experience of doctor visits, hospitalizations, or dental checkups. Medical play is play that involves a medical theme or medical equipment. The purpose of this study is to examine which type of activity (i.e., medical play versus viewing a medical information video versus typical play, versus viewing a non-medical information video) decreases the amount of fear, anxiety, and procedure distress in school-age children going to a doctor's visit. Seventy-two school-aged children visiting a doctor's office were randomly assigned to one of four groups: medical play (e.g., play with a medical buddy and medical equipment, such as a stethoscope), medical information video (e.g., watch a video of a child participating in medical play), typical play (e.g., play a developmentally appropriate board game), and non-medical information video control (e.g., watch a video on safari animals). Child participants completed a fear self-report measure, had their pulse taken, and completed a drawing as a projective measure of anxiety. The child's distress behaviors were assessed through nurse and researcher behavioral observations. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire and a development checklist on their child. Findings revealed the medical information video decreased fear and procedure distress more so than the medical play group, typical play group, and non-medical information video control group. Therefore, the children benefitted more from the medical information video (i.e., the obtainment of information) than the medical play activity (i.e., hands on manipulation), suggesting it is the obtainment of information rather than the actual hands on manipulation of medical items that benefits children. Finally, the typical play activity was found to increase alertness. The findings of this study imply the best way to provide for the psychosocial needs of patients at a pediatrician's office is to provide information to patients through a video of a child engaging in medical play. In addition, the medical team should consider providing structured activities, such as games, in pediatrician's offices for school-aged children.