University Children's Hospital Queen Fabiola (HUDERF) in Brussels, inaugurated in 1986, is the only Belgian hospital entirely dedicated to patients under the age of 18 years old. Approximately 200,000 children are treated annually, of which some 12,000 are admitted.   

 

Despite this focus on children, and the widely recognised importance of play as   therapy, the hospital has no outdoor play area.

 

Currently, patients only have access to indoor playrooms or must walk/be pushed 20 minutes in order to reach a local (non-inclusive) outdoor playground.

 

Play is however, extremely, important to ALL visitors to the hospital: patients, siblings and parents.

• Physically and mentally-disabled children are stimulated by the movement and experience of play.

• Siblings burn off energy, helping to reduce the stress of hospital visits.

• Play encourages normal interaction between children, assisting development and sibling relationships.

• A change of venue and fresh air breaks the boredom of long hospital stays.

• Families with children in palliative care can create precious memories that will help those left behind.

                   

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This project aims to create an exterior playground at HUDERF that will enable in-patients as well as their able-bodied siblings to enjoy moments of ‘normal’ childhood fun as well as important physical and sensory experiences that will enrich their hospital stay and reduce their stress. 

 

Similar projects have been implemented in many children’s hospitals and hospices across the world.

 

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A key criteria in choosing the layout and equipment for the playground was that as many of the hospital's in-patients as possible should be able to enjoy it and that it still be of interest to visiting brothers and sisters. 

 

The design by specialist playground company Proludic will ensure that even children with limited mobility e.g. in wheelchairs, strollers, hooked up to medical equipment or that struggle to walk or stand unaided, will be able to enjoy playing alongside their able-bodied siblings.

 

The carefully selected equipment will provide children with opportunities to  swing, climb, spin, rock, slide and jump. Colourful play panels will offer additional sensory experiences of sight, sound and touch and plants around the completed playground will appeal to the sense of smell. In addition, benches and a picnic table will be provided for parents and tired children to rest. 

 

It is hoped that the playground will be open by spring/early summer 2016.