A new and improved Learning and Science Center for hospitalized children

A child in the hospital is not a particularly pleasant experience - for the child or their parents. For years now, the Pediatrics Department of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center has worked hard to ensure that the stay in the department is as smooth as possible for both the children and their families. Along with uncompromising medical and nursing services, the Department operates an educational center that is overseen and managed by a team for the Ministry of Education that offers a variety of activities for children: starting with minimizing what they are missing at school through distance learning, computer games, a well-stocked library, and arts and crafts as well as enrichment classes. Teachers for the Ministry of Education and volunteers conduct the numerous activities.

Recently, activity at the Educational Center was significantly expanded with the launch of a special space, located next to the Pediatrics Department, where the wide variety of enrichment activities are held, including drama therapy, science, chess, English, music and art therapy classes, movement and robotics classes, and even magic lessons. The establishment of the center was made possible thanks to the Medical Center's administration and the generous support of Kadima Mada, headed by Avi Ganon, and the Ministry of Education. Some of the many activities are conducted by volunteers such as, for example, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Project, in which the bat mitzvah girls come from Hadera and the surrounding area on Fridays to teach and play with the hospitalized children. Similarly, for several years now robotics lessons have been offered by Ministry of Education teachers and a volunteer who is a science teacher by profession. In these lessons, the hospital patients learn to build and operate robots. This activity was expanded, and recently students from the Common School (Hof Hacarmel) Maagan Michael joined in to help the kids.

"The main purpose of the array of activities," said Ofra Avergil, director of the educational center, "is to make the children's stay more pleasant and, if necessary, to help them stay on track with their school work. Through the wide range of activities we offer the children, we strive to strengthen them and give them tools that will help them when they return to school and their friends in the community."

Dr. Adi Klein, Director of the Pediatrics Department, added to Ms. Avergil's comments, "The activity of the educational center helps not only the children and their parents while they are out of their normal routine, but also the medical staff. Our department is designed for children, both in terms of its shape and professionally. For several years now we have performed rounds together with medical clowns in order to alleviate the stress felt by the young patients. Therefore, the additional activity the educational center offers to reduce stress levels is another important aspect of the day-to-day routine in the department, and expanding this activity through the new Science Center is more than wonderful." 

The new educational center at the Hille Yaffe Pediatrics Department