Kids don't stop being kids just because they're staying in the hospital. We believe there's no better way to promote healing than to provide an atmosphere that encourages them to keep living their lives as much as possible. To that end, we've made sure to have spaces throughout both our campuses where patients who are mobile can play, relax, be creative and socialize. Children who can't be around other kids, due to immunosuppression or monitoring equipment, can still access these rooms by scheduling individual time.

COVID-19 precautions

Please note that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the hours and availability of some resources have changed. For the most up-to-date information, please check the hospital's interactive closed-circuit TV channels or talk to a child life specialist.

Activity rooms

  • Playroom: Here, children can find toys, board games, puzzles, books and craft materials for all ages. Brothers and sisters are welcome. (In San Francisco, they must receive a health clearance sticker from a nurse. In Oakland, visiting siblings must be supervised by a caregiver.) These rooms are staffed by child life specialists and trained volunteers. Children who are unable to leave their rooms may request delivery of toys and books. Playroom hours are posted outside the rooms and listed on our interactive TV channel. The San Francisco playroom is on the fifth floor; call (415) 353-1221 for more information. The Oakland playroom is also on the fifth floor; call (510) 428-3396.
  • Teen lounge: Because teens need their own place to hang out, we have a designated space for patients and siblings who are 13 or older. They can watch movies, play video games, listen to music, take part in arts and crafts projects, or just chill. Teen patients can check out board games, books and magazines to bring back to their rooms. In Oakland, this lounge is also the in-house TV studio. Our child life specialists produce several interactive TV shows here. Patients can access, participate in and create content for these shows from their rooms. San Francisco's teen lounge is on the sixth floor. Oakland's is on the fourth floor. Call (510) 428-3599 for more information.
  • Outdoor playground: Patients and family members in San Francisco will find this on the fifth floor, across from the playroom. In Oakland, the outdoor playground is in the main hospital's courtyard.

The San Francisco campus also has the following activity rooms, which patients can access as needed.

  • BMT activity room: This separate play space for bone marrow transplant patients allows them to leave their rooms, play and socialize safely. It has a windowed wall and phones, so siblings can connect face-to-face with their hospitalized brother or sister without fear of spreading germs.
  • ICU playroom: Located near the pediatric intensive care unit, this playroom is for siblings and parents of critical patients. It features muted light, fiber-optic starbursts in the ceiling that look like stars, and low-slung alcoves where families can talk in a protected space.
  • Multisensory room: Providing a feast for the senses, this room was designed to help children of varying ages and developmental abilities temporarily escape the medical environment. There's a soft mat and cozy chair under a soothing fiber-optic waterfall, a giant column of swirling bubbles and a 15-rung ladder of lights with changing colors. The rubber flooring is interspersed with brightly colored floor squares that make music or silly sounds when you step on them. Every toy was carefully selected for fun textures, sounds and lights.
  • Creative arts studio: In this light-filled space, patients can work with our experts and in support groups to create their own art and music. There's ample space for patients who are hooked up to IVs, are in wheelchairs or simply want a little privacy while they explore their talents. The walls are decorated with works of art created by patients; musical instruments, displayed in nooks on the walls, are available for patients to play.
  • Kaleidoscope Studios: In a room equipped with digital technology and a green screen, our child life and media specialists produce interactive games and programs that are broadcast on the Kaleidoscope channel on our closed-circuit TV system. Patients and their families can not only watch but participate in our productions, or they may use the studio to create their own content.

The Oakland campus also has the 5-South playroom, which is for immunosuppressed patients on the oncology unit. Like the main playroom, it is equipped with toys, board games, puzzles, books and craft materials for all ages.