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Activity Coordinators
We believe that a child’s work is play, and our activity coordinators make sure that all of our patients and their siblings are hard at work even while they’re in the hospital.
With services at our main hospital and at our Lincoln Park outpatient location, our activity coordinators make sure children are kept learning in an enriched atmosphere, and they also provide play as a distraction while children wait for medical treatment in common spaces like the Panda Cares Center of Hope and outpatient waiting rooms. Activity coordinators also make sure patients’ siblings are entertained while a child is in treatment or a parent is making an important decision.
Play with a Purpose
Activity coordinators plan a diverse set of educational activities through our integrated curriculum with the help of an army of volunteers every day, and they also organize special events. A few things you might see happening in the Panda Center or patient waiting rooms include:
- Art projects
- Games
- Special visits from sports and celebrity guests like Scottie Pippen!
- Volunteer and donor playtime
Keeping our patients playing is essential to their treatment; playtime and activities provide a much needed distraction and continued stimulation so that children continue to grow and develop. Playtime also helps normalize the healthcare experience, making the kids feel like kids again. We also realize that illness affects the whole family, so we make sure our sibling programs take care of their individual needs as well.
Outpatient Locations
The Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center at 225 E. Chicago Ave offers activities and programming for patients and families during clinic visits based on volunteer availability. Volunteers visit multiple clinic waiting areas with Comfort Carts stocked with items such as play dough, fidgets, coloring activities, and sensory materials to promote coping, distraction, and fun. Activity tables throughout designated waiting rooms provide additional opportunities for play and engagement. Patients and families may also enjoy visits from special guests, character performers, community partners, and other volunteer groups throughout the year.
The Lurie Children’s Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park located at 2515 N. Clark Street/467 W. Deming Place offers special activities and programming to patients and families during clinic appointments. Volunteers visit waiting areas with our Comfort Carts providing coping and distraction items to help patients and their families feel relaxed and engaged before, during, and after their visit. On the 8th floor of the Clark building, you will find Lottie’s Play Corner, a dedicated space where patients can play board games, do arts and crafts, engage in creative play including Play-Doh, Legos, cars, and more during volunteer supported hours. Some of our ongoing program partnerships include the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy which take place on select days throughout the month.
The Lurie Children's Outpatient Center in Schaumburg located at 1895 Arbor Glen Boulevard offers support in two separate clinical settings within the building. Schaumburg’s AIC and has its own play space within the center designed for the patients and their families. The play space has low tables and chairs, a kitchen, credenzas with art and play supplies along with toys and games for all ages that patients and siblings have access to. The specialty clinics' patients and siblings are supported by the activity cart that travels through the waiting spaces offering easy arts and crafts, toys.