Giving Tuesday

We are excited to share that each donation to the Child Life and Recreation Therapies Department will be matched, up to the first $25,000 donated. This means your gift today will be doubled!

This year’s generous matching gift honors Alex, who received care at Kennedy Krieger’s rehabilitation hospital. Alex’s experiences with his child life specialists and recreational therapists made him smile each day and gave him and his family so much joy! Thank you to Alex’s family and friends for making this matching gift possible.

Watch this video to learn more about Alex and the Child Life and Recreation Therapies Department.

Helping Kids Be Kids

Staying in a hospital can be frightening for anyone, but for children, it can be especially traumatic. In addition to coping with their medical conditions, children who are hospitalized are in an environment that is foreign to them, filled with new sights, new sounds, new people and a lack of control over their own lives, while also being separated from family and friends. It’s stressful— not only for the child but also for their caregivers. Providing treatment to a patient who is anxious and stressed can be particularly challenging.

The child life specialists and recreational therapists at Kennedy Krieger are trained to make the hospital experience a positive one for patients and their families. An essential part of our interdisciplinary team, they ease our patients’ anxieties about hospitalization and help them develop coping skills to adjust to their situation. These professionals make a dramatic, positive impact on our patients’ psychological, mental and emotional well-being—as well as on their physical health.

Meet the Team!

Kennedy Krieger’s Child Life and Recreation Therapies Department helps turn kids’ hospital stays and outpatient appointments into times of joy. Here’s who’s on the team:

• Child life specialists use creative play to help patients feel more at ease with their treatments. Whether they’re turning a scary procedure into a playful adventure or creating a cozy, imaginative space, they make hospital visits less intimidating and more comforting.
• Therapeutic recreation specialists bring art, games and more to the kids in our care. Whether they’re helping a child craft a masterpiece, jam out with a musical instrument or play a game, their goal is to ensure kids engage in fun activities while accomplishing their therapy goals.
• Music therapists use music to help our patients feel better and recover. This type of therapy can be as simple as playing instruments, singing or just listening to songs. It helps kids express their feelings and relax while helping improve their neurological function.

Why Our Need is Urgent!

While incredibly important for patients and families, child life and recreation therapies are services are not directly funded by insurance. The Institute’s child life and recreation therapy specialists provide services and support for patients who are hospitalized; patients receiving a variety of outpatient services, tests and procedures; patients’ siblings; and children and teens participating in research procedures. We are looking for generous donors to help us serve more children, teens, siblings and families through these services.