Play is an integral part of children’s everyday lives. But did you know the power of play is also an essential tool that supports kids’ development and growth, especially for those who are hospitalized?

That’s why at Starlight Children’s Foundation, we provide play-powered programs to hospitalized kids. When kids have fun and play in the hospital, they find a sense of happiness and continue to grow cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically. 

One of the programs we provide is the Starlight Nintendo Switch Gaming Station, which we partnered with Nintendo to create specifically for the hospital setting. With the Gaming Station, kids can play video games wherever they are in the hospital, by themselves or with peers and hospital staff. 

Here are four ways that playing video games supports hospitalized kids:

1. Playing video games gives kids a sense of control.

When kids play video games, there are opportunities to make decisions, set goals and problem-solve. 

In the hospital setting, children may not have many choices. Playing video games on the Gaming Station empowers kids with a sense of control as they get to make multiple choices, like it did for Starlight Kid Patrick.

Patrick needed to lay flat for 48 hours straight in his hospital bed after surgery for a complex tethered cord. He also copes with PTSD, Anxiety, and depression and experienced overwhelming negative thoughts and emotions during his hospital stay. Still, Patrick’s mood changed when he put the black controller of the Starlight Gaming Station into his hands. With a click of a button, he found a sense of relief and emotional support from overwhelmed feelings, stress, and anxiety.

2. Playing video games can distract from pain and improve mood.

Play is a way that kids cope with challenges, like the stress and pain they might experience during their hospital stay.

When kids play on the Starlight Gaming Station, children feel rewarded with a sense of accomplishment level-by-level, motivating them to face other challenges. Also, playing games redirects children’s focus to fun rather than the pain from treatments and procedures.

3. Playing video games gives children a way to connect with others.

Kids can often feel isolated and lonely during hospital stays because they are separated from their loved ones. Gaming provides them with an opportunity to connect with peers in the playroom or even medical staff!

Through gaming, Starlight Kid Aria got to socialize with nurses at her hospital, organizing tournaments and inviting nurses to be a part of bracket-style matches. These moments helped Aria build trust with her healthcare providers!

4. Playing video games normalizes the hospital environment.

Play gives kids familiarity and structure, making the hospital environment less scary and intimidating. Play brings elements of kids’ everyday lives into the hospital setting, creating a sense of comfort. 

Starlight Kid Luca has had over 100 hospital appointments, but playing on the Starlight Gaming Station gave him a sense of normalcy. Playing Mario Kart in the hospital was comforting because it reminded him of when he played on his Nintendo Switch with his sister at home.

Play is a way for kids to connect with others and find emotional relief and a sense of control, but is also a way for adults to do the same. You understand the healing power of play, and there’s a way that you can harness it to help hospitalized kids.

When you play, kids win.

When you fundraise through Stream for Starlight (S4S), you can help empower kids with crucial resources like Starlight Gaming. Our community comes up with fun, kooky ideas to create laughs and smiles on stream so that kids in the hospital can experience the same happiness and joy.

S4S goes live all year to deliver happiness from Starlight’s play-powered programs to hospitalized kids. This March, S4S will have its annual Spring Stream campaign from March 7-31, including the $50K to Mario Day raid train March 7-9th.

Step up your game this March to fundraise for hospitalized kids, set up a matching donation for extra impact, and even if you can’t stream, you can still support a fundraiser or spread the word to friends and family!

You can make the hospital an easier place to be for the 5 million kids who are hospitalized each year. Join us in helping kids endure through one of the most challenging moments of their lives.

Stream, support, or donate to Starlight today! Learn more on our Tiltify page.