Hospital kindergarten programs for children aged three and four years operate within complex and highly responsive environments where children may be navigating medical treatment, long admissions, anxiety, isolation, fatigue, and significant disruptions to everyday life. Teachers within these settings are required to balance learning, wellbeing, inclusion, and emotional support while adapting to children's changing medical and developmental needs.

This presentation explores practical strategies used within Yalingbu Yirramboi- The Royal Children’s Hospital School Kindergarten to preserve childhood, identity and connection through play-based, relationship-focused practice while supporting children's engagement, regulation and wellbeing, underpinned by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF).

Drawing directly on the experiences of children and families who have participated in the hospital kindergarten program, the session illustrates how practical, child-centred approaches can preserve ordinary childhood experiences while responding to the extraordinary realities of hospitalisation. Through real-world case examples, participants will see how educators adapt their practice to meet individual medical, developmental and emotional needs while ensuring children continue to experience joy, belonging and opportunities to simply be children.

Participants will explore how flexible programming, visual supports,  play-based approaches, wellbeing-focused Individual Education Plans, and humour and child-led play foster emotional safety, participation and inclusion. Each strategy is brought to life through children's stories, demonstrating how thoughtful adaptations can create meaningful opportunities for engagement while preserving childhood throughout treatment.

The presentation will also examine the importance of supporting children and families during key transitions, including returning to community kindergarten following treatment or significant medical change. Through the use of social stories and family-centred resources, the session will explore ways hospital educators can help children maintain identity, dignity and connection during periods of uncertainty and visible difference.

Participants will leave with practical ideas, reflective insights and adaptable strategies that can be applied across hospital education settings, while challenging them to think differently about how the ordinary moments of childhood can be protected within extraordinary healthcare environments.