Patient Activities | Overview
Visits to the hospital can sometimes be long, but they don’t have to be boring! Volunteer Services and Child Life Services coordinate many fun and creative activities for all age groups; see your child’s Child Life specialist for a copy of the full entertainment calendar.
Activity rooms
Activity rooms can be found on every inpatient floor. They are shared by children, teens, young adults, and parents, and are open during the day for relaxing or taking a break from the hospital routine. Child Life specialists and unit volunteers provide developmental play, games, computers, art projects, music, and other creative and educational activities at scheduled times.
Your child must be supervised by a parent, staff person, or volunteer while in the activity rooms. Parents and visitors are welcome to participate in activities. Because the activity rooms are places for children to temporarily escape the stress of the hospital, all medical examinations or other actions that may cause upset are prohibited in these areas.
Patient Entertainment Center
Patients and families are invited to come and enjoy the sights, sounds, and events of the Patient Entertainment Center (PEC). Located in the Berthiaume building, next to Seacrest Studio, the Patient Entertainment Center features magic shows, bingo as well as musical performances, and is a great place to just relax.
A schedule of events is available on the inpatient units. If your child is interested in attending an event in the PEC, please discuss it first with his nurse. Volunteers are sometimes available to escort patients to the PEC.
Television and radio
There are televisions and VCRs in every patient room. The television system carries local stations and some satellite stations, 24 hours a day. Movies are shown from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
The schedule and listings for patient entertainment are on Channel 22 and are posted on each patient care unit.
Volunteer services
Hospital volunteers visit the units and clinics weekdays, evenings, and weekends to provide companionship and entertainment for patients and families. They are a support service, taking on many roles within the hospital including escorting patients, reading stories, and leading activities.
Laughter League
Costumed as doctors and nurses, clowns visit children in their rooms or unit activity room and entertain them with humor and play specifically suited to hospitalized children. The clowns visit selected patient care units and the intensive care units during the week; ask your child's nurse or Child Life specialist if your child's unit is on their route.
Pawprints dog visitation program
Pawprints is Boston Children's Hospital's therapy dog visitation program. Through Pawprints, eligible patients and their families may receive a visit from one of the hospital's therapy dogs.