5 x waiting room toys for your healthcare facility

You probably recognize this scenario: your waiting room is full of patients who are immersed in one of the many magazines you offer on the reading table. In the corner of the waiting room there are some toys that a few children are playing with. For example, a table with Legos. You already know that more Lego will end up on the floor than will stay on the table. In addition, it is always a major job to make sure that the kids’ corner is clean and tidy again for the next day.

Perhaps these reasons have often caused you to doubt your play solution. Or maybe the solution you have is not strong or interesting enough for busy children who are already a bit stressed for their consultation. These are issues that almost every healthcare facility with a waiting room must deal with, from dentists to hospitals. So, the big question is:

Which waiting room toys are most suitable for my healthcare facility?

The answer to this question is unique for each healthcare facility and varies depending on the available space and the number of children that are usually present in the waiting room. The play solution can be adjusted to the space, the number of children and the average age of the children.

In this article we will give you five case examples of successful waiting room toy solutions.

Perhaps you are now wondering what we define as "successful solutions". That is why we will first briefly summarise the benefits that our customers regularly communicate back to us.

One of the most common advantages is that children who can play, are less tense going into their consultation. This will make their appointments go smoother. These, more efficient consultations, lead to financial benefits and a higher level of patient satisfaction through a positive and hospitable atmosphere in your hospital, practice or institution.

Idi de Boer is Manager Care for the Emergency Room of the Martini Hospital in Groningen and she indicates:

<Toys in the waiting room> help to ensure that the visit of our youngest patients to the emergency room goes as pleasantly as possible.

Be inspired and informed by the examples below and discover how you can entertain children in your waiting room by placing the right play concepts.

A practical toy solution in the waiting room of eye clinic Drechtstede

Eye clinic Drechtstede has made a practical consideration regarding their waiting room toys. Hygiene and safety were the focus. In their waiting room they placed two play concepts where multiple children can play at the same time, namely a bead table and a touchtable. 

An important advantage of a touchtable is that the touch screen can be easily cleaned by regularly wiping it with a screen cloth. Also, with this solution there are no loose toys lying around in the waiting room. This is safe, hygienic and easy for the staff.

Recognisable play corners in the waiting rooms of Maasstad Hospital

Maasstad Hospital in Rotterdam had a different approach to their waiting room toys. They emphasized the recognisability of the play corners throughout the entire hospital. Many of the wards have a kids’ corner with the same jungle theme, kids’ furniture and wall games. 

Maasstad Hospital also chose to show the paediatric ward mascot in each play corner. This makes children feel welcome and happy throughout the hospital. Maasstad Hospital's facilities manager confirms that this can be noticed during appointments:

Every day, our doctors notice that children are more relaxed when they enter the treatment room, which makes it easier to get through the appointments.

A smart placement of the kids’ corner in Floriande's waiting room

The amount of space in the waiting room that can be occupied by a play solution often depends on the type of healthcare facility. For example, a waiting room in a hospital often has more space available than the waiting room of a local dentist or doctor's office. 

At Health Centre Floriande they have opted for a smart placement of the kids’ corner. They used, a lost corner of the waiting room, under the stairs. In order to give the corner an extra element of fun, this space has been turned into the kids’ very own waiting area. The wall is clad in a cheerful design and children can wait and play at their own kids’ table with kids’ chairs.

Waiting room toy with a Healthcare-theme at the Erasmus hospital

The Erasmus hospital sticks to a healthcare theme with their waiting room play solution. In the waiting room, children can get behind the wheel of an ambulance or play with one of the attached game modules or the interactive touch screen.

By placing this play concept, the Erasmus hospital creates a pleasant atmosphere in their waiting room, which makes the waiting period more pleasant for all patients. An additional advantage, the staff also benefit from a quiet waiting room, where they do not have to spend a lot of time cleaning up toys.

Waiting room toys for children of all ages at doctor’s office Kemps

Doctor’s office Kemps has filled an empty wall in the waiting room with a combination of interactive play systems, a wall game and soft play elements that children can sit on or play with.

Due to the well-considered choice in types of toys for the waiting room, children of all ages can enjoy themselves. This creates a pleasant ambiance for waiting, which leads to less stress during the doctor's appointment. The manager of the Kemps GP office indicates:

The kids’ corner creates a quiet and pleasant atmosphere in the waiting room.

In short, to create the perfect kids’ corner for your waiting room, consider the following aspects:

• easy to clean
• safety
• no loose parts
• low maintenance
• strategic placement
• theme of the kids’ corner
• play value for all ages
• entertainment for multiple children at the same time

More inspiration about waiting room toys can be found in our portfolio. On our site you can also find more information about the advantages of the correct use of waiting room toys for your healthcare facility.