Why Play Matters

We believe in the importance of play, and we strive to provide your child with opportunities to keep them moving toward developmental milestones and practicing emotional expression through play.

Our Child Life Program promotes:

Continued growth
Diversion and distraction
Self-expression
Freedom of choice
Normalization
Socialization

Children learn socialization, communication and coping skills through play and interventions facilitated by knowledgeable, understanding specialists who care about their needs.

Child Life Staff

Child Life specialists are certified professionals with advanced education in child life, child health, child development and/or related fields. We work closely with all healthcare providers at Riley at IU Health to serve your child s needs, including:

Medical play/preparation. We help children learn about their upcoming procedures and correct any misconceptions they may have. Using play and developmentally appropriate learning tools, we can help children prepare for a procedure step-by-step.
Procedural support. We help children and families practice coping skills during a procedure. Using various distraction techniques, Child Life specialists divert your child's attention from pain and lessen their anxiety. Each child has a unique set of preferences, from music and books to bubbles or toys.
Psychosocial and emotional support. We help children and families understand and express their feelings about the challenges of hospitalization and/or treatment.
Developmentally appropriate activities. We encourage creative expression and promote a sense of accomplishment by providing activities based on age, ability, interest and needs.

Child Life specialists work with children throughout the hospital, including inpatient units, outpatient clinics, surgery, radiology and Emergency Medicine.

Requesting Child Life Services

Physicians, healthcare providers or family members can contact the Child Life Department by sending an email to childliferiley@iuhealth.org.

Child Life Zone

The Child Life Zone is an area inside Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health where patients and their families can play, learn, laugh and relax. Built through support from Teammates for Kids Foundation, our Child Life Zone is one of the nation's largest hospital playrooms.

Families can use the Child Life Zone from 10 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday. Participate in activities scheduled daily or watch live broadcast events on Channel 5 of your child s TV (when available). Our schedule is always posted outside the Child Life Zone.

Riley at IU Health encourages your family to explore the Child Life Zone, which offers the following family-friendly features:

Take a lap around our speedway, cross our yard of bricks or admire the racing team displays throughout our racing-themed highlights.
Visit the Sensory Gym room - a multipurpose space where children can explore their senses and engage in sensory play, always accompanied by a member of the Riley staff.
Develop your creative side in the Craft Kitchen, where you can bake, paint and make memories with visiting artists or local culinary guests.
Explore medical play with a Certified Child Life Specialist inside our customized ambulance and explore our interactive medical play station.
Enjoy a fun game of foosball or air hockey, play an exciting game of pinball or explore our arcade game console.
View live performances by special guests and Riley Kids on our closed-circuit TV channel, KIDS-TV5, broadcast from our studio.
Play video games from our video game wall, featuring the latest Xbox games, a Playstation 5 and a Nintendo Switch 2 playable for 20 minutes at a time or longer when no one else is waiting to play.
Play in the Child Life Zone Backyard! Enjoy the fresh air and a variety of outdoor activities including musical instruments, a Playhouse, and miniature golf! The Child Life Zone Backyard is open during Child Life Zone hours weather and staffing permitted.

We welcome all inpatients and outpatients accompanied by an adult. Outpatients and guests must complete a health screen before entering. Inpatients need a pass from their nurse. Staff can explain guidelines for using the Child Life Zone.

Special Events

When a child is hospitalized or receiving treatments, family entertainment often takes a backseat to heal and recover. Your child may not be able to attend a ballgame or visit a museum, but we can often bring these things to Riley at IU Health.

Throughout the year, the activity rooms on each unit and in the Child Life Zone are filled with special events for patients and families. These events are made possible through the generosity of sports and entertainment celebrities, community outreach organizations, museums and corporations. Inpatients and outpatients visiting Riley at IU Health on the day of an event are welcome to attend.

We encourage children to participate in special events, which can enhance their healing process and relieve stress for everyone in the family. Each event begins with freedom of choice: do you want to participate and what do you want to do once you are there?

These events are organized for your child’s entertainment and your child can choose to opt-in or out, depending on his/her preference. Even the simplest choices may help your child feel more in charge at a time when life may feel beyond their control.

Child Life Internship

Our Child Life Internship experience is a 16-week program requiring at least 40 clinical hours per week. The internship provides high-quality instruction and preparation for emerging child life professionals. We accept students who will be enrolled in a college or university at the time of the internship placement and if accepted as an intern, we will require a formal affiliation agreement with your university. Learn more about our Educational Affiliation Agreement. We are unable to accept independent students.

Riley Children’s Health offers Spring and Fall internships following the standards and dates set forth by the Association of Child Life Professionals. Candidates who wish to apply for a Child Life Internship at Riley Children’s Health should complete the ACLP Internship Readiness Common Application and submit according to ACLP guidelines.

All internship related questions and application materials can be sent to jyarnell1@iuhealth.org.

Child Life Practicum Program

The practicum program at Riley Hospital for Children provides an introductory, observational experience for students interested in pursuing a career in child life. Our child life practicum experience is a 5-week placement, and students can expect to gain a minimum of 80 hours shadowing Certified Child Life Specialists.

At this time, we are only able to offer a placement during the summer semester. We accept students who will be enrolled in a college or university at the time of the practicum placement. Practicum students require a formal affiliation agreement with your university, and any offer extended is contingent on this agreement. Learn more about our Educational Affiliation Agreement. We are unable to accept independent students.

Candidates who wish to apply for the child life practicum at Riley Children’s Health should review our intent-to-apply form for eligibility requirements, relevant due dates, and to formally express interest in our practicum program. Eligible students will receive application materials via email once the intent-to-apply form is closed to any further submissions.

All practicum related questions can be sent to ChildLifePracticum@iuhealth.org.

Riley at IU Health North Child Life Practicum

At this time, the practicum program will NOT be open. Updates will be posted when this program returns.