Super Saturday: Teddy Bear Hospital returns for the second year!

Sheffield Children’s was thrilled to host the second Teddy Bear at Hospital at our hospital on Saturday, 15th February! The event was a huge success, with over 500 children, teddy bears, and families in attendance. 

Sheffield Children’s was thrilled to host the second Teddy Bear at Hospital at our hospital on Saturday, 15th February! The event was a huge success, with over 500 children, teddy bears, and families in attendance. 

The goal of Teddy Bear Hospital is to provide children with a fun, supportive environment where they can play and explore, helping to ease any anxieties they may have about medical experiences. The day was filled with lively conversations about oral health, diet, and what happens in the operating theatre. 

A standout activity was the hand hygiene station, where children used a glow box to see the best techniques for washing their hands and reducing the spread of infections. 

Led by medical students from the University of Sheffield and supported by volunteers from Sheffield Children’s—including colleagues from the Play Team, the 0-19 service, and nurses—the event created a fun and informative environment for families. 

Children and their teddy bears explored over 30 interactive activity stations, engaging with X-rays, MRI machines, stethoscopes, and demonstrations of routine procedures like blood tests. These activities helped to alleviate any fears around health experiences, fostering a positive atmosphere for learning. 

Families also had the chance to contribute to innovative research at Sheffield Children’s by providing 3D facial scans, supporting advancements in non-invasive ventilation for children. The research team completed an incredible 98 scans on the day—thank you to all participants for making this contribution to vital medical research! 

Edd Crawley, programme manager in the Service Improvement team was there on the day! He said “These events are so helpful to children and young people! We’re really pleased that we can host an event like this in our space, treating teddy bears, incorporating play and supporting patients and families who might be anxious about a hospital visit” 

We would like to extend a big thank you to the Teddy Bear Hospital team from the University of Sheffield Medical School, along with our wonderful staff and volunteers who made this event such a success!