Nursery World - Playboxes make essential therapy

Young children are having the trauma of hospital admissions eased by a playbox devised by a Scottish charity. Action for Sick Children (Scotland) has found that allowing children to familiarise themselves with hospital equipment helps lessen the stress and anxiety of suddenly finding themselves in hospital. The charity's hospital playboxes contain safe medical equipment, mini uniforms, and toys and books about hospitals along with an information video, teacher's notes and information for parents.

Action for Sick Children (Scotland) has found that allowing children to familiarise themselves with hospital equipment helps lessen the stress and anxiety of suddenly finding themselves in hospital. The charity's hospital playboxes contain safe medical equipment, mini uniforms, and toys and books about hospitals along with an information video, teacher's notes and information for parents.

Statistically every child has a 50 per cent chance of being admitted to hospital before they reach the age of seven, and more than half will be emergency admissions. Action for Sick Children has 22 playboxes in Scotland and during a year they are loaned out for an average of two weeks to more than 15,000 children in playgroups, nurseries and primary schools. The playboxes give parents and early years workers the opportunity to talk about hospitals in a casual way before children are faced with an emergency situation at a time of anxiety.

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