This guide focuses on activities that parents can do with their children without needing specific hospital resources, helping to reduce anxiety and pass the time, as well as toys/items that may be useful!
(Pssst…these also make great “get well soon” gift ideas, or ideas for care packages for a child with an illness or injury.)
We’ve included activities for hospitalized children, as well as children that have family members in the hospital. While my latest daughter was in the NICU, we had such a hard time finding activities to keep my 4 year old entertained while we were visiting.
I didn’t realize until after the NICU stay that we had access to so many experienced families in our Facebook Group Empowering Kids Through Play: Medical Toys and More.
So in case anyone finds themselves in the hospital, wondering what to do with their kids, here are some tried and tested ideas! I asked the families what their favorite activities are for hospital stays, and I got such wonderful feedback that I’ve shared with you below.
Please note, this post does contain some affiliate links at no extra cost to you!
Hospital Activities by Age Group
I have to be honest here.
While making this, I truly did not want to separate this post by age group. Especially since all people are so diverse in abilities and interests regardless of age.
But the way google works, is that it will only show our article if it matches what is being searched.
So, since people will search “what activities to do in the hospital with toddlers?” we need to address that in order for them to find us!
And I truly believe there are some GEMS in this post, so I hope we can help anyone that finds themselves in the position of needing activities for their children…or themselves!
Things to do with infants and toddlers in the hospital?
This category is really for ALL ages. But we will list them under infants and toddlers because these activities don’t require reading or other learned skills to enjoy!
These were recommended by multiple people I’ve spoken to. I have used them before on road trips as well!
These are wonderful because they are mess-free, only requiring water to “color”.
They are extra special for children that are hospitalized because the activity can be done in bed, and it doesn’t require full focus or coordination to color within the lines like a traditional coloring book.
And since it only requires one water “pen” to color, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of different crayon colors in a hospital bed!
When these first started gaining popularity a few years ago, you could only find them on Etsy and they were incredibly expensive due to the amount of work that went in to creating them by hand.
They are still available on Etsy and they are absolutely BEAUTIFUL.
But there are now so many more affordable ones on Amazon!
I personally got one off Amazon for my daughter who is 4. But I wish I got it when she was younger!
These are great for developing fine motor movement, while also learning about various subjects.
It’s also a wonderful activity for young school-aged students to “teach” their infant/toddler siblings.
My daughter LOVES playing teacher with this.
These are yet another activity that is great for the hospital or at doctor’s offices because it is quiet and doesn’t make a mess!
Sensory Toys
These are AMAZING for hospital stays.
Lots of sensory play involves messes…but not with these toys!
Since a hospital can be an overwhelming and stressful environment for everyone, these toys help calm the mind and reduce stress.
They can also act as a distraction during procedures, or if experiencing pain. Research shows that distraction can be quite effective, and these toys are great for visual distraction as well as sensory distraction.
How to keep Preschoolers entertained in the hospital.
Again, these activities aren’t JUST for preschoolers, but do require a little more coordination and the toys may contain small parts that could be a choking hazard!
These are new to me… but let me tell you. They are AWESOME.
There are so many different kinds available on Amazon. So you can probably find your kid’s favorite show/character on one of these.
The neat part about them is that kids can act out little stories and do pretend play with them, without a bunch of toys needed!
And since they are magnetized, it can be played with in a hospital bed and closed up in a pinch if needed – and they can pick up their story/scene right where they left off!
Glass Window/Door Play
Most hospital rooms are either by a glass window, or glass door. If you find yourself near one of these, there are some great toys/activities you can do!
Squigz are these super fun suction cup toys that can connect together and onto flat surfaces so creation possibilities are endless!
And these window puzzle clings are wonderful because you don’t have loose pieces to lose, and you don’t need to occupy a table while it’s in progress!
No toys needed activities:
The same post where I received all of the wonderful item recommendations also included some fun activities and ideas where no specific toys are needed!
- 10 in a bed:Put 9 items in the hospital bed and sing the song!
- “There were 10 in the bed and the little one said rollover! rollover! So they all rolled over and one fell out…”
- Drop one item on the floor.
- Then repeat counting down.
- Make it custom to the child and add in some affirmations instead of saying “little one”. You can say “brave one, strong one, etc.”
- Simon says:You can even incorporate names of their medical equipment to reinforce education, or mindfulness techniques.
- “Simon says, point to your IV.”
- “Simon says take a deep breath.” (and deep breathingis super important for lung health when you’re hospitalized!)
Activities for School-Aged Children while Hospitalized?
These activities could be enjoyed by younger or older children as well, but school-aged children tend to get the most benefit from the following activities/items.
These sheets are interactive, so children can have fun right from the comfort of their bed!
I actually spoke to the owner of Playtime Edventures and he is trying to get these stocked in hospitals, so you don’t have to buy them!
So if you do get these for your child’s hospital visit, a bonus will be that you are increasing awareness of this product… and maybe that hospital will invest in some of these for future patients!
Coloring Books
Well, this one is a no-brainer. But what you may not know, is that we make some coloring books specifically for medical inclusion and affirmations for overcoming illness!
Coloring has so many benefits for people overcoming illness or injury.
- Stress relief
- Mindful focus, offering a great distraction
- Pain Alleviation – proven art therapy!
- Skill enhancement of dexterity/ fine motor movement
- Silent expression
- Mental Workout – engage the brain with every color choice and stroke.
There are a TON of options for these…it was so hard to pick an example photo!
But of course, I had to choose butterflies.
But I linked to the page that shows the search result listing all the wonderful different options.
If you aren’t familiar with these, they are great for concentration, matching numbers and shapes, and no coloring tools are needed since it’s all stickers!
This one was highly recommended, and I had never heard of it before!!
It is so awesome because you can switch out the pictures to any of the included sheets – so there is endless fun and it will take a while before they start memorizing the boards.
and BONUS – get two and you can use it like a “Guess Who” game!
- Guess Who is where you both have all the flaps OPEN, and you each pick an animal for the other person to guess.
- Then you take turns asking questions to eliminate the “wrong” animals.
- Like “is your animal furry?”
- If they say “no,” then you can close the flaps for all furry animals.
- Ask questions until you have your final guess!
Board/Card Games
Of course board/card games were a recommended way to pass time in the hospital. Here were some of the favorites!
- Spot it: A game of quick reflexes, no board required!
- Sushi Go: Loved by my 4 year old, this is a passing card game where no board is needed – and you ‘collect’ different sushi dishes for points!
- Unstable Unicorns: Another favorite of our 4 year old. You collect fun different unicorns with adorable illustrations, AND it’s a quick play!
Medical Toys
If you are looking specifically for toys to help your child process their medical experiences, you should definitely check-out our exclusive line of medical toys!
Hospitals are incorporating these into Pediatric Healthcare worldwide – so your hospital may even have a collection to use.
Activities for Teenagers in the Hospital
For those of you with teenage children, or if you are a teenager yourself reading this, you or your child probably already has hobbies!
But if you are here, then it sounds like you need some ideas.
Here are some ideas for activities that can help occupy time while admitted in the hospital.
Laptop/ Computer Games
Not every child has access to a laptop, but if they/you do – there are some great options for relaxing games that can be stopped and started easily, without a negative affect on the game play. These recommendations are all low-stress, relaxing options to help promote healing.
- Disney Dreamlight Valley:This is an RPG that can be played on the laptop through the Xbox app. It is appropriate for children as well, but has enough content and storylines to be enjoyed by adults, too! It is great for the hospital environment because you can stop on a whim and pick up right where you left off.
- Stardew Valley:This is a great computer (and Nintendo Switch) game that can help pass the time in the hospital. It is another RPG game where you farm, interact with villagers, and explore. The music is SO relaxing, it is wonderful for de-stressing.
- Animal Crossing:Available on the Nintendo Switch, this is yet another relaxing game that allows you to start and stop as needed. You make a whole island, customizing layout and decor, and you recruit cute animal NPCs to come live on your island.
Monopoly Deal
My husband and I actually brought this to the hospital for the birth of my first daughter.
We never played it there, but we totally could have if we were in the right head space for it!
It has the same competitive and fun aspect of the traditional Monopoly game, but doesn’t require a board -and it is MUCH faster.
Monopoly honestly used to stress me out as a kid, but this game doesn’t. The quick game play allows you to do a quick re-match if needed!
Hive
This game is also one that is easy to clean up and can be played on a small surface with no board needed!
The pieces are that nice domino material, so it is just so relaxing to play with.
It is a 2 player game, so it is great for passing time at the hospital with a loved one or a roommate!
Ours came with a nice zip bag to keep the pieces in – but I am honestly not sure if that’s still included!
What types of activities to do in the hospital?
Clearly this isn’t an all-inclusive list of activities to do in the hospital. But there are some themes you can take from this when choosing activities to help pass the time.
- Calming:Focus on activities that are calming, and help reduce stress in an otherwise stressful environment.
- Engaging:Finding activities that are captivating, and can hold attention, will help pass the time easier and make the stay less monotonous.
- Promoting Development:Picking age-appropriate activities will ensure that children continue to learn and grow despite being in the hospital.
Other Tips for a Hospital Stay:
- Environment:Bring familiar items from home. It can be disorienting to wake up in an unfamiliar place, so a favorite blanket or stuffie can go a long way.
- One parent in our group recommended sensory lights!
- Attitude:Kids feed off our energy. If you are looking to introduce a new activity to help pass the time, be enthusiastic and stay engaged. If you start losing interest and look at your phone, they will likely disengage as well.
- Advocate:If you feel like your child isn’t getting enough rest due to the schedule, or environment – talk to the team about it. Sometimes things can’t be changed for safety reasons, but often there is a solution that is easier than you think!
Please share in the comments if there is anything else you should be added to this list! Let’s help each other.
