First Two Days of Week 2

This week I have met several new kids, including the four-year-old brother of a patient who loves to play house. On both Monday and Tuesday we spent hours playing and he still begs me to play each time he sees me. At first we were acting out the life of a regular family with several action figures and toy cars, until day two came along and we discovered Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, who became close friends of the family. A seven-year-old girl who I have spent lots of time with thus far this week played along as well. When she wasn’t playing with the boy, however, she cycled through mainly three activities: air hockey, making meals in a toy kitchen, and riding a toy tractor. She could go through that rotation for hours. Another five-year-old boy wanted to join in the fun and luckily, they all played together well. The two boys and I ended up racing in the hallway but one, who was driving a police car, gave the other a ticket. I also visited a few patients that could not leave their rooms, including a four-year-old boy who watched The Incredibles with me. We then played Yahtzee, however, neither of us knew how to play so we came up with our own version of the game. Through my project, I have been given the opportunity to form bonds with these kids and alleviate the stress of being in a hospital whether they are patients or siblings of patients. The playroom depicted below is their escape (I am encouraged not to take pictures with anybody at the hospital in order to protect patient confidentiality). I also have the vital job of taking these kids of off their parents’ hands so that they can indulge in an hour or so of free time for themselves.