In 2027, specialized care for children, young people, and pregnant women at Rigshospitalet will move into a new building called Mary Elizabeths Hospital. The hospital is part of Rigshospitalet. The goal is to give children and families the best possible experience during their stay and to help them return to normal life at home.

The project "Valuable Waiting Time" is a key part of this goal. With funding from Nordea-fonden, it is now moving forward. The project includes a series of sensory play installations, developed by the Mary Elizabeths Hospital design team together with Experimentarium.

The Glowing Lungs uses LED lights to guide children and families in breathing more slowly and deeply - all the way down into the belly. Deep breathing is known to help during blood tests. The Stethoscope Wall lets children listen to sounds from inside the body. It makes organs less scary and more familiar - helpful when doctors often talk about them during check-ups. What do lungs sound like? Do bones make sounds?

The installations are designed to make waiting areas feel safe, engaging, and less frightening. When children feel seen and heard, they are also more likely to go through with medical procedures.

Helping children in hospitals across Denmark

Nordea-fonden support does not only benefit Mary Elizabeths Hospital. Some installations will also go to children's departments at Aalborg University Hospital and Sygehus Lillebælt.

"It is great that children at Sygehus Lillebælt will also benefit from this support. These play installations will make a real difference here. They help us take a more child-friendly approach. Through play and interaction, we can reduce stress and anxiety. This is something we want to keep improving. The project shows how hospitals can work together to give children a better experience," says Thomas Houmann Petersen, Chief Physician at the Children's and Youth Department at Sygehus Lillebælt.

The project will also produce a "playbook" - a free, open-source catalogue - so that other hospitals and organisations can use the same designs and ideas.

"We are especially glad that Nordea-fonden's support also reaches our colleagues at Aalborg University Hospital and Sygehus Lillebælt. Sharing what we develop with as many people as possible is part of who we are at Mary Elizabeths Hospital," says Thomas Leth Frandsen, paediatrician and Chief Medical Project Officer at Mary Elizabeths Hospital.

From stress to safety

Waiting at a hospital is often stressful and worrying. Play installations can help children get ready for what is coming - making them less anxious and more willing to take part. This can also lead to better results, because a calm and prepared child is easier to examine.

The installations include both guided and free play. There is room to laugh, relax, and ease the shift from the waiting room to meeting the medical staff. The aim is to give children and families a greater sense of control and to make the hospital feel more human.

"We are proud to support a project that will make hospital visits more human for children, young people, and their families. We are particularly pleased that the funding will bring installations to Mary Elizabeths Hospital, Aalborg University Hospital, and Sygehus Lillebælt," says Christine Paludan-Müller, Head of Grants at Nordea-fonden.

Mary Elizabeths Hospital is being built in partnership between the Capital Region of Denmark, Rigshospitalet, and Ole Kirk's Fond.

Facts

• With support from Nordea-fonden, 13 play installations will be developed and installed in waiting areas and treatment rooms at Mary Elizabeths Hospital, Sygehus Lillebælt, and Aalborg University Hospital. A free open-source catalogue (playbook) with all the designs will also be produced.
• The development of the installations will go through an EU public tender process.
• Staff, patients, and families will continue to be involved - for example to test how the installations work in practice.
• The development phase of "Valuable Waiting Time" was funded by TrygFonden and developed in close collaboration with Experimentarium.