As an effort to minimize anxiety, reduce boredom, and stimulate child growth and development during hospital stays, Class of 49 Group 3 Pediatric Nursing Rotation Nurse Professional Education Program students of the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga (FKp UNAIR), organized a group play therapy activity centered around beading. Targeted at pediatric patients accompanied by their parents, this interactive event was successfully held in the Irna 4 Pediatrics Ward at Universitas Airlangga Hospital (RSUA) on Friday, October 30, 2026.
The series of play therapy activities began with introductions and a warm-up session led by the student team to build psychological comfort for the children. Next, the children were guided to participate in structured beading activities using patterned picture media fitted with straw cutouts and thick yarn. Under the guidance and support of facilitators, the children enthusiastically threaded yarn through the straws along the provided pattern tracks, which not only exercised fine motor skills but also diverted their focus away from the boredom of the hospital environment.
Throughout the session, the children exhibited positive, cheerful interactions and showed great enthusiasm in completing their respective beading creations with the full support of their parents. At the end of the session, the team provided appreciation through positive reinforcement and praise for the children’s efforts, concluding with an evaluation of satisfaction and joy experienced by the participants during the play therapy.
This promotional and supportive effort serves as a concrete contribution by the academic community of the Faculty of Nursing UNAIR in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and Goal 4: Quality Education. Through this activity, it is hoped that hospitalized children can adapt more effectively to the stress of medical treatment and experience a more child-friendly hospital environment.
Writer: Karina Widiasti
