Age-Appropriate Play and Diversional Activities for Hospitalized Children
| Age | Activity |
|---|
| Birth–1 Mo | - Cuddle.
- Rock.
- Smile at and talk to the infant in a soft voice.
- Provide music.
- Place a mobile over the bed.
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| 2–3 Mo | - Place a small rattle in the infant’s hand.
- Place infant in a swing or car seat.
- Provide a crib mobile.
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| 4–6 Mo | - Provide a nonbreakable mirror.
- Provide stuffed dolls or animals.
|
| 6–9 Mo | - Play peekaboo by momentarily covering your face with a towel.
- Provide brightly colored toys.
- Show pictures in a book.
- Provide noise-making toys.
|
| 9–12 Mo | - Provide blocks and demonstrate stacking.
- Provide a ball and demonstrate how to roll it on the floor.
- Place the child on a waterproof surface with a basin containing an inch of water and demonstrate how to stir the water (constant supervision needed).
- Provide toys and large container into which the toys can be placed and demonstrate placing the toys into the container and pouring them out.
- Play "Where is your nose?", "Where is your mouth?"
|
| 1–3 Yr | - Provide push and pull toys (especially useful when therapeutic ambulation is indicated).
- Hold a wand filled with a commercial "bubble" solution and have child blow bubbles (useful when deep breathing is desirable).
- Provide art supplies (supervise carefully).
- Provide modeling clay or dough (supervise carefully).
- Provide a doll and syringes without needles, bandages, tape, and other equipment used in the care of the child (supervise carefully).
- Provide a tea set or small pitcher and allow the child to pour and drink or eat from the small dishes (especially helpful when increased fluid or food intake is desirable).
- Read to the child.
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| 3–6 Yr | - Provide simple puzzles.
- Provide simple board or card games.
- Fill a cup half full of water and liquid soap mixture. Provide a straw and allow the child to blow bubbles into the glass (to encourage deep breathing).
- Tell the beginning of a story and ask the child to complete the story.
- See Activities for 1–3 yr.
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| School Age or Adolescent | - Provide books.
- Provide board games.
- Provide supplies for letter writing.
- Provide free access to telephone if possible.
- Allow noninfectious children in these age groups to interact with each other and eat meals together.
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