An Underwater Oasis: Creating a Relaxing Environment with Starlight Spaces

Hospitals can be a scary, anxiety-inducing place for people of any age—but especially kids. That’s why we created Starlight Spaces. The Starlight Spaces program re-imagines playrooms, treatment rooms, lounges, family kitchens, and even outdoor playgrounds to help create a space that is more relaxing and comfortable for seriously ill kids and their families.

Starlight recently partnered with the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation to renovate two therapy rooms at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse, New York! Therapy rooms should be a space where hospitalized kids, ages 2 to 16, are able to walk into and feel calm and relaxed—and this renovation did just that.

These therapy rooms went from boring, regular hospital rooms to an underwater oasis that kids can walk into and immediately ease into a feeling of comfort.

Since 2003, over 114 Starlight Spaces have transformed the hospital experience for more than 3.2 million children at more than 90 children’s hospitals and pediatric units in 27 states. Each Space works to provide patients with comfort, socialization, and a sense of normalcy.