How aggression and early childhood development are connected

PLAY2SMILE:

Play2Smile (P2S) is a collaborative initiative under Toybank-The Opentree Foundation. Toybank collaborates with hospitals and pediatric centers to offer the power of play to children undergoing treatments. At Toybank we realize that when children are admitted, their usual routines are disrupted. Some of them are separated from their families and other familiar people or spaces for periods of time.

Play2Smile provides access to Play to children by setting up Play2Smile centers basis the need assessment of the various spaces. Play therapy helps children with trauma resolution, social integration, growth and development, and emotional modulation.

The objectives of Play2Smile

1.  create an environment where stress and anxiety are reduced
2.  catering to the emotional and mental needs of the individual
3. facilitate appropriate channels of communication between the patient, the family and relevant health care professionals; (Individual – patient/caregiver/ family members)

Through the P2S initiative Toybank will donate toys and games to the Play2Smile centers. These will then be used to lessen anxiety and for stress reduction of the kids visiting the center.

Procedure Overview

The Play2Smile initiative is launched when hospitals, pediatric centers or other such centers approach Toybank or are approached by Toybank.

 

 Current Projects:

1)   Romilla Palliative Care Center

The Romilla Palliative Care Centre (RPC), an initiative of SNEHA, has been set up by Dr. Armida Fernandez in memory of her daughter Romilla, who lost her life after a brave battle with cancer in 2014. Initially addressing the needs of cancer patients, the project is expanding to include other life-limiting and debilitating illnesses.

Toybank set up its center on the 1^{st of} March 2017.

Journey at RPC -

This center is accessed by children who either assist their ailing parents or are undergoing treatment themselves. Also, during their meetings (Caregivers meetings, Patients Meetings etc.), most families bring along their children. RPC provides the children with these toys and games to keep them engaged while the adults attend the meeting. The frequency of usage of these toys and games is not defined.

This center has a mix of 20 different toys and games which cater to all age groups (pre-primary, primary and secondary) like word search, blocks, compendium, teddy rings, stackem, counting beads, hoppers, Sudoku, Color match, etc.

2) SRCC

SRCC Children’s Hospital is the premier medical institution for children in Mumbai, backed by Narayana Health; the hospital combines pediatric medical experience with world-class facilities to ensure affordable, quality medical care for infants, children, and adolescents.

Toybank set up its first center on 24^th March 2017.

Journey at SRCC-

Initially, Toybank started the Play2Smile project at SRCC setting up one center. The OPD play area (ground floor) was just a soft play area with no equipment etc. The center was allocated about 60 toys and games.

As the Hospital services started growing and catering to a larger number of children on a daily basis, the need for the toys and games also increased. As of today, there are 23 Play2Smile centers. The centers included PICU, Bone Marrow Transplant, Well Baby Clinic, Private Wards, etc. The OPD wards were given drawing books and art and craft material. Their speciality wards are furnished with blocks, balls, puzzles, etc. specifically listed as per the needs of the wards of the children. For the OPD play area, we provided Slides, cars, tents, blocks, puzzles, wooden games etc.

Toybank Toys and Games are also used at the SRCC Kids Club that was inaugurated in January 2019.

3) Baba Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children

Toybank set up its first center on 23rd August 2018

Journey at BJWHC-

The conversation with Wadia began in June 2017 where Play2Smile as a part of Toybank project was introduced to Wadia Hospital. A detailed Quantitative and Qualitative Pre-Assessment was conducted by the Founder and the Welfare Manager of Toybank.

Basis the Pre-Assessments, 9 centers were generated at the hospital. These centers included OPD areas, Hematoncology, Nephrology Endocrine, General Wards, Surgical Wards, and Physiotherapy. Toys and Games were mapped, curated and packed according to the needs of the wards. Puzzles, Jenga, Wall Mats, and other such toys and games were provided by Toybank.

All the centers were visited one by one along with Ms. Asha, Matron of BJWHC. The games were explained and Dispatch Sheets were signed by the center-in-charge and the Toybank team member post checking.

Regular visits are conducted at BJWHC to ensure that children are enjoying the toys and games.

 Play2Smile reach as of January, 2019

Sr. No.	Hospital	Centers	Children
1	Romilla Palliative Care	1	10
2	SRCC	23	~ 301
3	BJWHC	9	~ 358
	Total	34	~ 669 kids