Supporting the Wellbeing of Children in Hospital with Humorous Play

Dr Amy Paine of Cardiff University, developed this Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) funded project where explored how humour and everyday playful interactions can support children’s mental wellbeing in hospital settings. In Childrens Mental Health Week, we are raising awareness of this playful and important research.

Children in hospital often experience fear, loneliness, and uncertainty. Play, humour, and playful communication are known to support children’s wellbeing, yet remain under-resourced in healthcare settings. This project explored how everyday playful interactions help children feel calmer, more connected, and more listened to during their hospital experiences. Led by Cardiff University, the project used participatory research with children, young people, and families to understand what playful communication means to them in hospital.

Working with partners Play Wales and Starlight-UK’ within the ‘Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity’ setting, the research centred children’s voices and highlighted the value of play in building trust and emotional safety in healthcare.

IAA funding enabled flexible, participatory research with children in a hospital context and supported partnership working between academia and the third sector. Its flexibility allowed the project to build a robust evidence base through close collaboration with partners, generating insights that will support future initiatives for improving children’s experiences in hospital. The project also established a strong foundation for future impact, wider awareness, and follow-on funding.