After a life-changing diagnosis for a pediatric patient, childhood takes on a different meaning. Instead of riding bikes, sleepovers, and playdates, children’s lives are filled with doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, and endless tests and treatments. The experience can be stressful, anxiety-ridden, and isolating for children—as well as their siblings and family members.
For nearly twenty years our parent organization, Arts For Life, has engaged pediatric patients and their families in creative activities that enrich their lives, nurture their minds and spirits, and encourage positive healthcare experiences when little else is in their control.
Through this work, we have learned that there are often significant positive effects for patients participating in art and creative activities.
Learn more about the
A large body of evidence-based research overwhelmingly supports the value of arts in the promotion and improvement of health benefits for patients1.
From increased feelings of energy and vitality to a greater sense of self-control and improved resilience to an overall reduction in depression and anxiety, art and music support the well-being of children who face health challenges. Creative activities also facilitate problem-solving, adaptability, the flexibility of thought, and individual expression, which enable a child’s ability to cope.2
Reduces pain during treatments (chemotherapy
and stem cell transplants)1
Reduces fear, stress, anxiety, & depression1
Improves, trust, self-image, self-esteem, communication,
& collaboration1
Enhances mood and compliance with medical procedures1
Empowers children in the work of feeling or getting better2
Invites a supportive and playful exchange that may humanize an otherwise sterile medical interaction2
Improves engagement of those in all cultural backgrounds2
Self-directed art-making empowers [children] in an environment where they have limited choices2
Reduces negative feelings and improves patient satisfaction1
References:
1 Fancourt, D., & Finn, S. (2019). What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review. WHO Regional Office for Europe.
2 Rubin, S. Y. (2019). Supportive Art Making as a Therapeutic Tool for Nurses. Pediatric Nursing, 45(2), 95 -98.
Our programs are created to facilitate creative expression; however, they are not, nor are they intended to be, a substitute for art therapy.
Each self-contained kit provides several opportunities for creative expression for the child using a curriculum designed and used in practice by Arts For Life for nearly twenty years.
Bright Side Artivity™ kits are designed for children aged four and up to allow for flexibility in the environment. Bright Side Artivity™ kits are process-focused, rather than results-focused, to facilitate creativity and expression without regard to a defined finished product.
This approach makes each kit usable by a young child as well as a teenager.
Bright Side Artivity™ kits do not contain instruction booklets, but instead, include Idea Starters to help children and youth find inspiration for their own creation.
Bright Side Artivity™ kits begin shipping April 2020.
Subscriptions are purchased annually, and plans begin at 35 Bright Side Artivity™ kits per month. Shipments begin the month following the subscription purchase. Deliveries begin with the kit designated for the month in which the subscription starts and future months are shipped automatically through your program term.
Fill out the form here to indicate your interest in a subscription. Our staff will contact you to confirm the order and arrange for payment.