Child Life
Our Child Life Department helps make your family’s experience at the hospital a positive one. Child Life specialists are members of your child’s healthcare team. They work directly with you and your child to help you relieve tension, express concerns and fears, and feel more in control about your hospital experience.
Child Life Specialists…
- Explain a diagnosis or treatment in words your child or teen can understand.
- Create a coping plan your child can use during a medical test or procedure.
- Offer support during and after a medical test or procedure.
- Use play to help your child understand medical procedures and express feelings.
- Work with medical staff to assess your child’s unique needs.
- Give you information about child development and the effects of healthcare.
- Teach techniques to help your child cope and relax.
- Offer support to help families cope with death or loss in partnership with the Journey Program.
Therapeutic play programs promote healing and help children express feelings and cope with pain. Our art and music therapists work with patients at the bedside, as well as in small groups. Our Pet Partners visit most of our hospital units.
Art and Music Therapy
Art and music therapy services are provided on all inpatient units at the hospital campus in Seattle. Individual therapy sessions are provided on a referral basis. To request a referral, ask your nurse or medical team to put in an order for music therapy or art therapy. For more information about these services, please contact the Child Life administrative office at 206-987-2179.
Virtual art and music therapy activities
Our art and music therapists and volunteers have created several videos of activities that can be done in patient rooms, at home, or anywhere else that works for you.
Goals of art and music therapy
- Decrease anxiety.
- Promote expression of feelings and emotions related to illnesses.
- Decrease perception of pain.
- Increase opportunities for normalized play.
- Increase functional motor skills.
- Improve verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
- Develop positive coping skills.
- Promote relaxation.
- Provide opportunities for peer interaction.
- Promote a sense of community within the hospital environment.
- Increase opportunities for choice and control.
Patients do not have to be artistic or musical to benefit from art and music therapy!
Art therapy
Art therapist Rosalie Frankel with patient Jaylin after an art therapy session.
By using art interventions like drawing, painting, clay and collage, patients and families increase self-awareness; cope with symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences; and find joy in the process.
All the art therapists at Seattle Children’s Hospital are board-certified, which means they have a master’s degree in art therapy, passed the national board certification exam and completed at least 1,200 supervised internship hours after graduation. As part of the coursework, art therapists complete coursework in human development and counseling, and become proficient with a variety of art materials.
Music therapy
Music therapist Betsy Hartman with patient Allistaire during a music therapy session.
Through singing, instrument playing, songwriting, music listening, drumming or other music activities, music therapy helps patients and families feel comfortable and have a normal experience while they’re in the hospital. Our music therapists are trained to create individualized goals to give patients the opportunity to learn new coping skills, make progress during physical rehab and be distracted from pain and anxiety.
All the music therapists at Seattle Children’s Hospital are board-certified, which means they have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, completed a 1,200-hour supervised internship and passed the board certification exam. As part of the coursework, all board-certified music therapists must have proficiency in voice, guitar, piano and percussion.
Animal-Assisted Activities
For some children, the stress of a hospital stay can be so overwhelming that medical treatment becomes extremely difficult. But a visit from a therapy dog gives many patients the energy and motivation they need to make progress and to experience joy, even in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Seattle Children’s Animal-Assisted Activities program, presented by PetSmart Paws for Hope, offers patients, family and staff interaction with volunteer dogs and handlers registered with Pet Partners. Benefits include stress reduction, normalization of the hospital environment and overall feelings of comfort and happiness. We have several volunteer dog teams who take turns visiting patients every day. Therapy dog teams regularly visit most hospitalized children.
Services We Offer
Inpatient Playroom
The inpatient playroom is currently not accepting walk-in play opportunities due to COVID-19 restrictions. To request a toy or activity delivery, please refer to your bedside nurse to place a request. The inpatient playroom offers virtual play opportunities for children to enjoy at their bedside. For more information on our virtual offerings and all other inquiries please call 206-987-4433.
Teen Zone
Teens and their brothers and sisters age 12 and older are welcome to visit the Teen Zone. It has an Xbox ONE, a foosball table, board games and arts and crafts.
- On level 4 of Seattle Children’s in the Mountain A zone
- Open:
- Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch)
Clinic Playrooms
Main Campus
The playroom is for patients and their siblings, ages 1 to 11 years old. We currently allow 1 family in the playroom at a time. Siblings are welcome to stay here while patients and caregivers go to their appointment. If your family would like to use the playroom during your child’s upcoming appointment, we recommend scheduling a time in advance to guarantee availability. Please ask your child’s provider or care team about scheduling availability.
- Availability Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Located on level 6, Ocean zone
- Play is guided by playroom staff.
- Our playroom staff are not responsible for changing diapers, so parents or caregivers will be notified if a diaper change for their child is needed.
Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center
- Find out about the playroom at Seattle Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center.
Everett
- Find out about the playroom at Seattle Children’s Everett.
Federal Way
- Find out about the playroom at Seattle Children’s Federal Way.
