Play in Healthcare Week 2025!
In October, The Archie Foundation proudly celebrated Play in Healthcare Week 2025, a special time dedicated to recognising the incredible impact of play in hospitals and healthcare settings across the North of Scotland.
Throughout the week, we shared videos, stories and photos through our social media channels that showcased how play helps children through difficult moments, bringing smiles,
easing fears, and supporting recovery. From arts and crafts sessions to sensory play and digital games, every playful moment makes a difference.
Play is far more than just fun; it’s an essential part of a child’s healthcare journey. It helps children process their experiences, understand medical procedures in a safe and age-appropriate way, and regain a sense of normality during their hospital stay.
At The Archie Foundation, we are honoured to support Play in healthcare settings across Grampian, Tayside and The Highlands. Your donations make this possible, funding play staff, specialist training, toys, sensory resources and so much more. Every contribution helps create comfort and confidence for children in hospital when they need it most.
Aberdeen & Grampian
At the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH), Play in Healthcare Week was full of celebration and creativity. Visitors enjoyed exploring “The History of Play at RACH”, a fantastic display in the Therapy Centre highlighting the evolution of play over the years, from vintage toys and crafts to modern activities that bring comfort and calm to today’s young patients.
The week also gave us a chance to say a huge thank you to our wonderful Play Team: Heather, Rachel, Denise, Wendy, Carol, Aidan, Alison, Orla, Lindsay and Nadine. Every day, they help children to prepare for medical procedures, provide distraction during treatments, and offer comfort to families during some of their most difficult times. Their kindness and creativity make a real difference to so many children across Grampian.
Tayside
Over in Tayside, we celebrated the exciting transformation at Glenlaw House in Dundee, a respite facility for children with severe and complex medical needs. Thanks to our partners at Spifox, the newly refurbished sensory room is now a bright, calming and inspiring space where children can explore, relax and play. Helping children express themselves and find joy in their day-to-day routines.
Projects like this show just how far your donations go. Every contribution helps us provide the tools, spaces and resources that make play possible for children in healthcare, helping them build confidence, resilience and happiness.
The Ninewells play team recently celebrated 50 years of play, marking an incredible anniversary for this team. They decided to continue raising awareness about the importance of a play specialist’s role by setting up an awareness stand. This stand served as a valuable resource for both the community and hospital staff, providing them with a more in-depth understanding of the full extent of the roles within the hospital.
Inverness & The Highlands
Across The Highlands, play continued to bring comfort and courage to young patients. Our Archie Toy Boxes, filled with treasures such as pop sockets, books and fidget toys, helped turn moments of anxiety into moments of calm. These small but meaningful gifts are often used to reward bravery, provide distraction during appointments, or simply make a child smile.
Through your ongoing support, we can continue to supply play materials and equipment that help children feel more at ease during their hospital visits, making sure that play remains at the heart of every child’s experience.
Thank You!
Huge thanks to Innoflate for supporting our fundraising efforts by covering the marketing cost for the P&J advertorial for our Text To Donate Campaign.
Although Play in Healthcare Week has come to an end, our work continues every single day. If you’d like to help us keep play alive in hospitals across the North of Scotland, you can still donate. Every donation helps us support babies, children and families when they need it most, turning hospital visits into brighter, more hopeful experiences through the power of play.
