Play area renovations
The Beach play area is a vital part of a child’s and family’s journey at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. We’re building a bigger, better play area so that Stollery kids can be kids.
The benefits of play
Play is crucial to a child’s development and when offered in a specialized health setting like the Stollery, the benefits to that child’s care, recovery and long-term physical and mental health are undeniable.
- Play has a special therapeutic value for children who are sick or injured by contributing to their overall physical and emotional well-being
- Play, when used in the context of treatment, can significantly help to improve a child’s motor functions, reduce stress, alter their mood and provide a sense of normalcy within the hospital setting
“When I go to The Beach I can meet new people and play. And I get to play bingo — I love bingo!”
– Stollery kid Cameron
Our goal
We are raising $5 million over the next three years to fully renovate and expand The Beach.
Our vision
This necessary upgrade will include construction of an attached, state-of-the-art, outdoor play area that will more than double the existing 1,500 square foot play space, last renovated in 2007. The expansion will also make the play space and daily programming more accessible to both young children and youth.
Allowing kids to be kids
The Beach is not just an area for play — it is a vital part of a Stollery family’s journey. This area is:
- A medical-free zone for pediatric patients and their families to adapt to the often overwhelming hospital experience
- A fun place within the Stollery that allows kids to be kids in between their many medical appointments, tests and surgeries
- A space for specialized, life-changing therapeutic programs for kids and families, such as art and music
The Enchanted Forest - an extension of The Beach
The renovation also includes plans to construct a secure, multi-use outdoor space for kids and youth to play and participate in family-centred care programs.
The outdoor space will be used for physical activities and therapy programs, as well as a comfortable place for kids and families to gather and connect outside of their Hospital rooms and units.
Help us make a bigger, better Beach a reality:
Donate nowCampaign update (August 2023)
Thanks to generous community donors, the brand new Saville Family indoor Beach and outdoor Enchanted Forest play areas are set to open soon!
Scheduled to open in early 2024 and more than double the previous 1,500 square feet, here’s what you can expect:
The Saville Family Beach
- A fun beach vibe with 10-foot waves, a submarine and a sandcastle
- Plenty of interactive, fun Child Life programs and infant and child play stations including a water station, craft tables, interactive walls and a functional kitchen for cooking and baking sessions
- A dedicated tween/teen area providing a space for socializing and just hangin’ out
- A medical play area designed to help kids understand what to expect before a minor procedure or a major surgery
- Set to open in January 2024
The Enchanted Forest
- First ever outdoor dedicated Stollery play space featuring a large fully accessible play structure for kids of all ages that will be used year round
- Interactive, creative and educational Child Life programs such as music, art and pet therapy
- A teepee, large projection wall with plenty of seating for outdoor movie nights, and musical instruments – surrounded by wall-to-wall murals created by a local artist
- Set to open in spring 2024
*Renderings are subject to change
Did you know?
The Beach expansion project, last renovated in 2007, is fully funded by generous donors! On behalf of Stollery kids, their families, and the Hospital staff, thank you for helping give all kids the best chance to live long and healthy lives.
