For children who may not be able to move out of their rooms, the Child Life team will spend time with patients playing board games, coloring, and doing arts and crafts at their bedside. Child life specialists may also provide distraction and diversion techniques, including medical play.
Patient rooms have TV’s and all patient rooms are equipped with the GetWellNetwork, an interactive TV experience that includes educational resources and entertainment for patients.
The team also offers “Fun Centers,” which are video game carts that can be wheeled into patient rooms. Talk to a child life specialist to request a Fun Center.
The Ala Carte Program
The Ala Carte program is provided by the Assistance League of Long Beach whose volunteers visit children of all ages with their unique cart on wheels, which has art supplies that the patients use to create their own masterpiece.