Being Playful in a Pediatric Hospital
I have a quote taped up above my desk:
“It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.”
It’s there as a reminder of my goals with my patients, as well as a reminder to myself. If I’m not playing, I’m not being creative. If I’m not playing, I’m not growing.
Could it be that play is one of the most underrated skills? Why are we trained out of it as grownups in conventional learning environments? Children do it so naturally, and it can be a significant bridge of connection in therapeutic work. Yes, even in the hospital when everything is turned upside down.
The other day, I was sitting in my living room and strumming my trusty Martin guitar. I wasn’t playing anything in particular, I was just playing. My apartment is on a busy street, and the traffic sounds and car horns that are usually annoying became sounds I could interact with. They were incorporated into what I was doing musically. I was having a duet with Oak Street. There wasn’t anything I would record or perform for others, but it was an enjoyable challenge and a playful experience.
While reflecting on that, I remembered that my colleagues and I recorded a podcast about play in the hospital a couple years ago. It was published in Imagine Magazine in 2018 and is still available online. It features Brianna Negrete, Chloe Kelleher, and yours truly.
If you’re interested in learning about play in the hospital - like, is it different than normal play? - I highly recommend listening to this 10 minute podcast.
I also encourage you to join me in reflecting on this topic. When am I playful? How can I use a playful attitude to generate more creativity in my life? How can I support the play of others, whether they are children or adults?
Play on, my friends.
Until next time,
Matt
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