What happens when a viral toy creator and a family doctor join forces? You get Playhouse MD—a bold new startup reimagining pediatric healthcare through the lens of play.
In this interview, we chat with sisters Kaitlin and Sydney Wiseman, co-founders of Playhouse MD, to explore how a single Fingerling clipped to a stethoscope sparked a whole new category in kid-centered health tools.
Blending clinical insight with creative innovation, the Wiseman sisters are on a mission to make healthcare at home feel less like a chore and more like a moment of connection.
@sydwiseman 2 yrs in the making! what do you think? ✨@Playhouse MD #fy #playhousemd #playfulpediatrics #founder #startup #fyp
♬ original sound - Syd | Chief Play Officer
With viral traction on TikTok, a fast-growing parent community on Instagram, and an investor-backed roadmap for impact, Playhouse MD is proving that the future of family healthcare doesn’t have to look clinical—it can look like play.
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What was the lightbulb moment - origin story of Playhouse MD?
Sydney: It started with a moment between me and my sister, Kaitlin, who’s a family doctor. She had clipped a Fingerling, one of the viral toys I created, onto her stethoscope during patient visits to make the experience a little more fun for kids.
She quickly noticed how much more relaxed and cooperative her young patients became, and that small change made a big impact. Inspired by that, we designed a playful otoscope cover as a way to help kids “count the stars in their ears.”
It was simple, but it worked. Exams were smoother, faster and less stressful for everyone and that was the lightbulb moment.
We thought why isn’t anyone doing this?
Why does healthcare, especially for kids, have to feel so intimidating?
Why do the tools still look cold and clinical, when the child using them is the same kid playing with Fingerlings?
That’s when we realized the obvious gap: no one had built a truly kid-centered healthcare line, one that meets children where they’re at, developmentally and emotionally.
So we teamed up. I brought toy design and storytelling, she brought medical expertise and real-world experience, and Playhouse MD was born.
What is the mission and vision of Playhouse MD?
Kaitlin: As a doctor and a mom I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming healthcare can be for little ones. Kids cry, parents are stressed and the tools we’re expected to use at home don’t always help.
So when my sister came to me with the idea to redesign these products through the lens of play, it just clicked.
Our goal with Playhouse MD is to meet families where they are and make everyday care feel approachable.
We want to give parents tools they’ll actually want to use and that kids aren’t afraid of. Our vision is to redefine what pediatric care looks and feels like starting at home.
We want to be the brand parents turn to not just because our products work, but because they genuinely make hard moments better.
Long-term, we hope to help reshape the whole culture around kids’ healthcare, so it’s not just about fixing problems, but also about connection, comfort and trust.
How does the brand impact lives in a positive way?
Kaitlin: I’ve seen how little things like giving medicine or checking a temperature can turn into big stressors for families, and the tools we send them home with products often feel cold and clinical.
That’s where Playhouse MD comes in.
We’re creating products that not only work clinically, but actually meet families where they are emotionally.
Our thermometer looks like a giraffe and is named Jax, our nasal aspirator is shaped like a cute elephant.
It might seem small, but it changes the energy.
Kids are more cooperative and parents feel more confident.
It transforms the dynamic from ‘I have to do this to my child’ to ‘I get to do this with my child.’
That shift in experience, making pediatric care feel a little less scary and a lot more manageable, is the impact I care most about.
Playhouse MD helps build trust between kids and caregivers, which is the foundation of good healthcare.
How have you funded the company thus far?
Sydney: Playhouse MD began as a bootstrapped effort with deep belief in the mission. As momentum grew, we raised a strategic round of venture capital to accelerate our product development and launch strategy.
We’ve partnered with investors who share our vision for impact and who understand that we’re not just building a product line, but we’re building a new category at the intersection of parenting, healthcare and play.
What tools do you use to run the company?
Sydney:
After Fingerlings, I really understood the power of play and how vital it was for families. With my experience as a toy creator and Kaitlin’s medical background, Playhouse MD is a blend of creativity, strategic thinking and execution to reimagine what pediatric medical devices can be.
We’ve used a mix of creative tools, digital platforms and a lot of testing to get Playhouse MD off the ground.
Social media has been a huge growth driver and we’ve built an Instagram community of 17K followers organically in our first month, and my TikTok audience of 270K helped us go viral from our very first video.
We also used storytelling as a strategic tool, not just in our marketing, but baked into our product design.
From naming to packaging, everything is built to emotionally connect with parents and kids.
Behind the scenes, we’ve leaned on tools like Shopify, Figma, Klaviyo, Triple Whale and Slack.
But at the end of the day, the real engine has been that blend of toy design, medical insight and storytelling.
