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Encourage Playtime
Playtime is an important part of healthy childhood development. It allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. That is why we as designers need to encourage playtime.
In a recent post, Healthcare Design Magazine featured an article written by Mathew Hall. He writes about a playroom at Maastricht University Medical Center+. It is a perfect example of how playtime can be encouraged through design. See an excerpt from the article below.
When Maastricht University Medical Center+ in Maastricht, Netherlands, launched its Centre for Overweight Adolescent and Children’s Healthcare (COACH), the program was housed in medical offices within the hospital—a less-than-ideal setup that left kids sitting and waiting in boring hospital spaces.
“The children visiting COACH are not sick—but we’re working hard to prevent them from coming down with such chronic problems as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, liver disease, depression, etc.,” says Dr. Anita Vreugdenhil, a pediatric gastroenterologist and founder of the program. “A normal hospital setting is not ideal for accomplishing those goals.”
The hospital began planning a permanent, centralized building to house the COACH clinic, which is slated to open on the hospital campus in 2020. But in the meantime, leaders wanted to find a temporary solution that provided a more interactive environment to better support
Marie Wikoff is the creator of Wikoff Design Studio based out of Reno, Nevada. Her expertise in healthcare design has helped modernize healthcare organizations locally, regionally, and internationally, improving patient experience and outcomes. Her credentials include Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC), American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designer (CHID), the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and LEED AP. Contact Marie Wikoff
Matthew Hall is a freelance writer based in Cincinnati.
