2023 Therapeutic Play Kits Impact
6
unique play activities available
15
therapeutic play projects hosted
2K
therapeutic play kits created
Donate
Your contributions allow us to provide children in hospitals with impactful therapeutic play kits and supportive child life programs.
Host a Play Kit Party
Customize your event to create a fun experience that gives back! Great for connecting with friends, family and colleagues!
Volunteer
Roll up your sleeves and join us! Get involved in helping with play kit activities, social media, fundraiser planning and more.
Sip & Smile Fundraiser
Help plan the next big event! If you are interested in lending your skills, talents, or creativity, let us know.
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Join Sarah's Smile Squad!
We are grateful for the generous contributions of
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Countless volunteers
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Hospital partners
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Child Life Specialists
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Play kit project hosts and participants
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Generous donors
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So many others!
Connect with a Purpose
Build stronger social connections with your friends and colleagues by hosting a kit-building event! Our team can custom design a project to fit your unique needs, complete with detailed supply lists, playbooks, and other materials. Your team can then build, pack, and ship the kits. Connect with purpose and have fun at the same time!
The Smiles from Sarah team-building session was a standout activity that not only brought joy to the group but also allowed us to give back through the creation of 150 therapeutic activity kits.
Project Lead, Deloitte
Contact Us
Therapeutic play kits foster the relationship between children and their CCLS.
"Because of your support, we are able to keep these items in stock, giving our team the materials they need to provide their patient with effective (and fun!) therapeutic activities." - Manager of Child Life Services, Children's National
September 21, 2024
We are on a mission to support child life programs and therapeutic play in hospitals. Help bring smiles and healing to children while having fun at our annual fundraiser.
We invite you to join us at this year's event! Learn more about sponsorship and host committee opportunities to get involved today.
SAVE THE DATE
Join us for the second annual Sip & Smile fundraising event on September 21, 2024, at the Deloitte Observation Deck in Rosslyn, Virginia. Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are available today!
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Salt and chalk become a creative "sand art" project! To assemble the kits, volunteers divide salt and chalk, packaging them for each child. Then, children can create different salt colors with the chalk, and funnel it into different vessels for display.
This therapeutic play activity promotes fine motor skills and emotional expression, helping children identify and process feelings.
Pillowcases and eye mask for a better night's sleep! To assemble the kits, volunteers package supplies for each child, including a mini teddy bear. Then, children can use fabric markers to customize a comforting pillowcase and eye mask.
This therapeutic play activity helps soothe feelings of stress, sadness, or anxiety, especially while falling asleep at night.
Colorful jars of liquid for calming big emotions! To assemble the kits, volunteers package unique beads, glitter, and other fun items for each child. Then, children can shake the jars and watch the different materials fall at different speeds, providing peace and relaxation.
This therapeutic play activity helps calm emotions when they become overwhelming.
Eruptions are fun and emotionally satisfying! To assemble the kits, volunteers package Play-Doh, vinegar, baking soda, mini dinosaurs, and more for each child. The, children have everything they need to create an erupting volcano.
This therapeutic play activity promotes conversations about anger, frustration, and situations that make us want to erupt.
Bring your imagination to this unique project! To create these kits, volunteers add prompting words and phrases to journals. This fun, hands-on activity allows for creativity and making something unique.
This therapeutic play activity promotes celebrating achievements, joy, and gratitude and helps process sadness, anger, and frustration.
Postcards to keep in touch with friends and family! To create these kits, volunteers make sample postcards and package them with blank postcards, stickers, stamps, gel pens, and more. Then, children use the postcards to initiate or strengthen relationships with those they can't see in person. Sometimes, they provide a way to continue friendships that began during their hospital stay.
This therapeutic play activity stimulates creativity, builds resilience, and promotes connection with others.
Support Sip & Smile Fundraising Event
On October 21, 2023, our first Sip & Smile event raised over $70,000 for SFS! Held at the Deloitte Observation Deck in Rosslyn, Virginia, the fun-filled evening included nearly 200 attendees. Guests enjoyed beautiful views of the D.C. skyline while gaining an appreciation of our mission and the vital work of Certified Child Life Specialists.
Sip & Smile by the Numbers
1st
Smiles from Sarah fundraising event
196
attendees
$70K
raised for Smiles from Sarah
What Are Therapeutic Play Kits?
Our curated collection of age-appropriate activities is designed for Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) to engage with patients. Therapeutic play kits help facilitate coping, emotional expression, and playfulness.
Therapeutic Play
Through therapeutic play, children are able to bravely face medical treatments and procedures. A therapeutic play visit from a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) can be the difference between a good and a bad day.
Benefits of Play
Through these activities, children develop age-appropriate skills to process their emotions, direct their care, share their voice, and advocate for their needs. Patients also develop resilience to navigate the hospital’s challenges.
Therapeutic play also fosters the relationship between children and their CCLS. Patients gain another advocate and vital member of their care team.
Examples of Play
Building eruptive Play-Doh volcanos gives voice to fear and frustration. Hands-on art projects decorate a hospital room, bringing the comforts of home. Spa time offers relaxation, baking gives rise to courage, music and singing replace tears, and games provide a much-needed distraction.