Schoolkids grin and bear it at the Teddy Bear Hospital
Students at Queen’s are making sure children don’t have to just grin and bear it when they need to visit the doctor. The Teddy Bear Hospital Society teaches kids what healthcare settings are all about using their favourite cuddly as a patient.
Children from St James’s Nursery brought all their favourites into school to get the lowdown from Queen’s student volunteers on healthcare in a fun and friendly way.
Through role-play activities, the society aims to reduce anxiety around doctor visits, hospital stays and medical procedures. By familiarising children with basic health concepts and medical tools in a playful setting, the initiative supports early positive healthcare experiences.
Teacher Marian Carson said:
“We are delighted to welcome the Teddy Bear Hospital from Queen's University to our nursery. This visit is a wonderful opportunity for our young children to develop confidence in healthcare settings through play-based learning.
By caring for their teddies, our pupils build empathy, ease anxieties about medical experiences, and gain a better understanding of how to stay healthy. It's a fantastic and fun experience which fosters positive attitudes among our children towards doctors and hospitals from an early age.”
The Teddy Bear Hospital Society also gives Queen’s students opportunities to develop communication skills and engage with the local community. It fosters an understanding of paediatric care and builds confidence in future healthcare professionals.
Society President Orla Kelly said:
“By visiting local primary schools, we aim to educate children on health and wellbeing, to reduce the children’s fears of healthcare. This means that when children inevitably encounter a healthcare professional, they are less frightened and have a more positive interaction with those who work in the healthcare sector.”
The Teddy Bear Hosptial gets its funding from Queen’s Annual Fund, designed to support student-led societies to enrich campus life and the wider community.
According to Orla:
"Our project this year, thanks to the Queen's Annual Fund, is to extend the children's learning beyond our visit to the class. We are creating booklets to encourage health promotion and reiterate important messages relayed during our visit. Hopefully this will mean our visits will have a greater impact on a long-term basis.”
Find out more about the Anuual Fund here.
Media
For further information, contact ciara.oneill@qub.ac.uk