News & Stories

Share the holiday spirit by helping children in need. Shop our Amazon Wish List, our Toy R Us to donate a book, game or toy or Make a Gift to the Johnny M. Playroom at Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper and support our littlest patients on #GivingTuesday, November 29.

“A hospital stay can be scary for our youngest patients,” said Brittany Spaeth, Child Life Manager at Children’s Regional Hospital. “We want our patients to be comfortable, so that they can be kids, even though they are in a hospital. Toys and games can make a child smile.”

The Johnny M. Playroom is a play space for kids hospitalized at Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden. It’s warm and friendly and designed to look and feel like an outdoor play area, with games, toys and even an indoor “tree,” an outdoor barbecue play set, and butterflies suspended in the air.

“We are always in need of Legos and Barbie’s and books, as well as sippy cups and onesies for our littlest patients,” said Spaeth. “Donations of new pajamas are also welcome as it can be really hard to play and be a kid in a hospital gown.”

“We also recently received a generous donation of PlayStations and are in need of PlayStation 4 games for the kids to enjoy,” said Spaeth.

The Johnny M. Playroom is the only safe zone within the hospital, where no medical interventions are allowed to happen,” said Spaeth. “It is purely a play space for the kids.” Spaeth, along with five Certified Child Life Specialists, provide comprehensive physical, emotional and psychosocial support to kids and their families during their hospital stay.

Our staff prepares our patients for what to expect while they are hospitalized by using “medical play.” The patient acts as the doctor and uses a doll as the patient. “We tell the kids what will happen, have them demonstrate it on the doll, ask how the doll likely feels and discuss how to make it better,” Spaeth said. “It’s a great way to have an age-appropriate discussion about the realities of dealing with an injury or new diagnosis.”

The team also uses a variety of iPad apps to provide distraction for patients during medical procedures. Music and art therapy programs help some of their youngest patients, which helps minimize the need for additional medications. An art therapist has a roving “art cart” and leads kids in drawing, painting and more to help them cope with hospitalization.

For more information on #GivingTuesday, contact zarnosky-danielle@cooperhealth.edu.