Bringing Childhood to the Hospital

A hospital stay can turn a child’s world upside down. Medical procedures, scary diagnoses, and long days away from school and friends can leave children feeling anxious, isolated, and overwhelmed. At paediatric hospitals across Ontario, Child Life Specialists work closely with medical care teams to support children and their emotional safety.

“We focus on helping kids process what’s happening, ensure they can express themselves, and support them through play,” explains Shaindy Alexander, Certified Child Life Specialist and Clinical Manager of the Child Life team at SickKids.

“Play is the job of a child,” Shaindy says. “We use play to help kids cope with being in the hospital and to give them ways to communicate feelings they might not yet have words for.”

Child Life Specialists don’t do this work alone. Their impact is strengthened through close collaboration with in-hospital partners, such as Campfire Circle, who share the same belief: kids need opportunities to be kids, even in challenging moments.

“On the hardest days, kids still want to play,” says Shaindy. “And Campfire Circle are the experts in play. If a child is too sick to participate, they’ll come and play beside them, offering choice and control, even if it’s something as small as wiggling a finger. This gives kids agency.”

At SickKids, Campfire Circle’s role has grown over the past 30 years. What began as a once-a-week evening program has evolved into a hospital-wide presence supporting children and families at their bedsides across many units as well as through group programs in The Cabin, Campfire Circle’s dedicated space, and in Marnie’s Lounge.

As referrals to Child Life Specialists continue to grow and awareness of children’s mental health deepens, partnerships like this are more important than ever. “We constantly need partners to help show up for kids,” Shaindy says. “Campfire Circle helps us do that – by reminding children that they are more than patients.”

Through play, connection, and collaboration, Chid Life Specialists and Campfire Circle help ensure that childhood still has a place, even in the hospital.