When children are undergoing treatment in hospital, it can be difficult to distract them or keep them relaxed. This can be a stressful time for both the child and the parents. That is why we have developed two new hospital sets with distraction and relaxation material especially for patients in the children's ward or children's outpatient clinic of the hospital: an extensive set and a basic set. In this blog you can read how these sets can help children to express their feelings and relax while being distracted during treatments.

Content and purpose of the hospital sets

The basic set offers a wide range of materials. The set contains five magic wands, four balance birds in two different sizes, chain links and a mindful labyrinth set. The extensive hospital set contains the same materials as the basic set, but in addition to two magic wands, two balance birds in different sizes, chain links and a mindful labyrinth set, it also has four emotion sensory bottles and four feel and guess sensory wands. The toys offer children the opportunity to talk about their feelings, concentrate, feel and use their hands, which allows them to relax and be distracted during treatments.

Research has shown that tension, anxiety and pain are reduced by distraction and relaxation. Especially in young patients, anxiety about pain or about the treatment itself can increase tension and pain. The boundary between anxiety and pain is not always clear. If children are distracted during treatment or can quietly concentrate on something else, they have a more positive, less painful experience. Our special sets with distraction and relaxation material for children in the hospital can help with this.

Products in the basic and extended set

Each product has its own function and power. The magic wands are ideal for calming children in the waiting room or during treatments. A fascinating stream of glitter starts moving when the wand is slowly tilted. A hospital that tested the sets responded: “The magic wand that our doctor has really works wonders by distracting children from a nasty procedure.”

The balance birds are also a great way to distract children. It takes concentration and patience to balance them on the finger. This stimulates fine motor skills and the sense of balance while the children pay less attention to the treatments. In a hospital that was allowed to test the sets, the birds turned out to be a hit at the blood sampling clinic: “The finger birds are often used for blood sampling in the hospital. Because the child is so concentrated on one hand, the other arm can be pricked.”

Both the basic set and the extended hospital set contain chain links . It is a simple and tactile toy that keeps children occupied and stimulates their senses. The chain links can be easily held by even the youngest children. The links can be attached to each other, but also to the hospital bed, for example. It is quite a challenge for small hands to untie them again and the perfect distraction. “I always have a few links with me. So handy to be able to quickly put something in children's hands that they can do. But also to attach things to something. I don't want to be without it anymore.”

The mindful labyrinth set also focuses on hand movement, but now in combination with breathing. Three double-sided boards with patterns help children regulate their emotions through guided breathing exercises. While following the patterns with their fingers, the children breathe in and out according to the drawing on the board and can relax. Hospitalization or treatment can make children anxious or upset. The breathing exercises help to calm down and let go of anxiety.

Additional products in the extended hospital set

The comprehensive hospital set also includes emotion sensory bottles and feel and guess sensory wands. The set of four emotion sensory bottles helps children to become aware of their emotions and to express them. Whether they are happy, sad, scared or angry, these enchanting bottles help children to practice self-awareness, self-management and social awareness. The child-resistant bottles are permanently sealed and easy for little hands to grasp and operate. Each bottle is printed with a facial expression and filled with liquid and material to create a flowing action that represents the emotion.

The feel and guess sensory wands help children get back into their bodies with physical contact and interactive play. The set contains four wooden rollers with different textures and materials that children can discover, independently or together with a caregiver. Caregivers can also distract patients with them or use the wands to make physical contact in a playful, accessible way.

An indispensable set for every children's ward or children's clinic

In short, both the comprehensive set and the basic set offer a versatile selection of distraction and relaxation materials for young patients. By using these materials, children can relax, be distracted during treatments and can better regulate and express their emotions. This gives them a more positive hospital experience.

The hospitals that tested the sets quickly found them indispensable. Are you also enthusiastic? Contact us via info@toys42hands.nl for more information about our distraction and relaxation sets for children in the hospital.