As I've mentioned, I did some time in hospitals as a child; that was where I came to have a special affection for clowns, as they were always the ones to take my mind off things whenever they came to visit. So from the perspective of an on-again-off-again patient, here's an idea I really found helpful: use potentially scary medical supplies for funny, non-threatening purposes. For instance, one clown used a roll of gauze to tie a big, floppy bow in my hair. Or use an Ace bandage as a stylish scarf, etc. I haven't tried this yet, but I've often wondered how it would look if you put beads inside IV or green oxygen tubing and made it into jewelry.

it reminds me of the movie patch adams, when Robin Williams took a red enema bulb, snipped off the nozzle and made a clown nose from it. 8)

Interesting Ideas!!

To make the threatening not so scary.....

I like it.....I'm about to get into this full swing this summer so I definitely use this as a tool.

I went to a cancer center and gave fish stickers to the kids. They usually had their moms stick them on the IV bag! Anything to bring a smile!

The way I see it is this; when you're a kid taken out of your normal home environment and put in an unfamiliar, noisy, crowded hospital where scary things happen on a regular basis, it's easy to develop an aversion to certain things (or places, or people) that you associate with pain and sickness. It really helped to be able to see that the "instruments of torture" were just objects that I had power over.

Stitches, that's pretty cool; kinda like an ersatz aquarium. You know, I used to have a little fake aquarium in my dorm room with realistic plastic fish that swam around directed by magnets inside... (Good for freaking out the administrators who thought I was keeping live fish!) Maybe someone could put a couple of tiny fake fish, some gravel and fake greenery in an IV bag filled with water and call it a portable aquarium. :)

That would be hysterical!

I have a pen that looks like a needle that I draw with. Stickers are a big hit and it's safe for kids.

just had to add this, in rehab we had a young guy in a full back brace, we call em turtle shells any way it was about Halloween so we decorated him us like a turtle, with construction paper. He had the coolest costume.

Princess your not alone my friend wheeler hasd to be in a Shrine hosptile on & off in his childhood & only time he felt good were when the Shrine Clowns were there he wanted to bring others the joy they brought him that he is now a Clown

I was in the hospital in ninth grade and I made balloons from my hospital bed for my nurses and what not..kind of backwards hospital clowning, eh?

cool,
now days with latex allergies, alot of hospitals won't let you do balloons.

I've made invisible balloon sculptures at the hospital.

I pretend to blow it up and go through all the motions of twisting a real sculpture but without the balloon. The kids go along with it. I hand them nothing and still, they have trouble deciding what they want when it's their turn. And when I hand them their invisible balloon, they give me a big smile.

I was recently in the hospital (had surgery) and my sister made me an invisible balloon hat and made me wear it. The nurses never said anything so I guess invisible latex is okay. :D

INVISIBLE balloons.... I LOVE IT!

well i've asked but no answer, if they can make latex free gloves [and you can blow them up] why can't they make latex free balloon? [I know not enough money in it] but it would be nice ot offer that option.

If you do your own activity book or coloring book this is a great place to give them away, give the kids something to do beside watch TV. and you can get the little pack. of crayons form oriental trading or places like that.

As I've mentioned, I did some time in hospitals as a child; that was where I came to have a special affection for clowns, as they were always the ones to take my mind off things whenever they came to visit. So from the perspective of an on-again-off-again patient, here's an idea I really found helpful: use potentially scary medical supplies for funny, non-threatening purposes. For instance, one clown used a roll of gauze to tie a big, floppy bow in my hair. Or use an Ace bandage as a stylish scarf, etc. I haven't tried this yet, but I've often wondered how it would look if you put beads inside IV or green oxygen tubing and made it into jewelry.

sounds dandy however i know at least hospitals and nursing homes i work at would probably not be too fond of that jewelry idea........it would work wonders but im not so sure that it would fly with the hospital administration.........i can ask next time im there if they would approve or not....i have a feeling it wouldnt be allowed though

new york is sickeningly paranoid.......everything used is automatically labeled a biohazard and goes straight to the recepticles......oh well theres plenty of other things to do ;)

I too am a twister and I was disappointed that I couldn't bring them to the hospital. I know that there is some concern with choking from a balloon as well as the latex problem, and they are loud as all get out when they pop.