Rehabilitation after surgery or injury can be exhausting and painful. When children are the ones facing that journey, the challenge becomes even more complex. Therapy must not only be effective — it must engage, motivate and inspire young patients to keep going.
At Shriners Children’s Hospitals, that’s a challenge the rehabilitation team embraces every day.
“Our goal is to help patients make full recoveries, or as close as they can,” said Clayton Chapman, director of rehabilitation services.
Shriners Children’s offers comprehensive pediatric rehabilitation services to support patients physically, mentally and developmentally. Through inpatient and outpatient therapies, the team works to restore independence, improve function and quality of life, and allow both physical and emotional healing. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy — and sometimes psychology — all work collaboratively to meet each child’s unique needs.
And increasingly, that means meeting children in a place they already love: the world of video games.
Meet James — A Story of Resilience and Play
Nine-year-old James knows more about resilience than most adults.
When James was just over one year old, his family’s home caught fire. He sustained critical burns that required months of treatment at Shriners Children’s Hospital. Over the years, he has undergone countless surgeries and skin grafts, in some cases losing the use of several fingers and toes due to the severity of his injuries.
But James never lost his spirit.
Today, nearly a decade after that first hospital stay, he continues his recovery journey with joy and determination. He loves video games, sports, comic books and coloring — the kinds of things that remind everyone around him that he is, first and foremost, a kid.
And those passions are more than hobbies. They are powerful motivators.
When asked what he is grateful for, James didn’t hesitate.
“Everything!” he shouted.
That simple answer is a reminder that even in the hardest parts of recovery, the things that make kids kids — play, connection, imagination — matter deeply.
Turning Play Into Progress
Games For Love works closely with Child Life Specialists and hospital administrators to make rehabilitation spaces feel less like clinics and more like places where kids can thrive.
“We try to find out what motivates them, and incorporate that into their therapy. This might be superheroes, Disney characters, video games and even dancing,” said occupational therapist Christina Mooneyham.
Through its partnership with Games For Love, Shriners Children’s hospitals are able to bring even more of that motivation into therapy sessions. Games For Love works with many Shriners Children’s locations nationwide, helping provide gaming equipment that transforms rehabilitation rooms into interactive, engaging environments.
At first glance, a child playing a video game might look like a break from therapy.
In reality, it is therapy.
“While the kids are enjoying their games, they’re also working on hand-eye coordination and building endurance for standing,” Chapman explained.
A child reaching for a controller is strengthening fine motor skills. Standing to play builds balance and stamina. Coordinating movements on-screen sharpens reaction time and spatial awareness. For children recovering from surgery, adapting to a prosthesis, improving wheelchair mobility or rebuilding strength after injury, gaming can turn repetitive exercises into exciting challenges.
What feels like play is carefully guided progress.
Healing the Whole Child
Every patient requires an individualized treatment plan tailored to their needs. Physical therapy may focus on sitting, standing or walking. Occupational therapy helps children participate in everyday childhood activities. Speech therapy supports communication, eating and swallowing.
But healing is never just physical.
“On a good day, it’s a lot of fun. There are some days where it almost feels like camp,” Chapman said. “If the kids are having a bad day, we try to give them space. Sometimes you need to allow the kids to have some space to experience their grief.”
For children like James, long-term recovery can mean years of appointments and procedures. Having moments of normalcy — moments where they can compete, laugh, win and connect — strengthens more than muscles. It strengthens confidence.
Video games offer that space. They provide distraction during difficult stretches. They create opportunities for peer interaction. They give children control in an environment where so much feels out of their hands.
Therapy stops feeling like something being done to them. It becomes something they are choosing to engage in.
Leveling Up Recovery Together
At many hospitals across the country, healing doesn’t always look like a traditional therapy session. Sometimes, it looks like a child gripping a controller, fully immersed in a game — unaware that they are rebuilding strength, coordination and endurance with every move.
Through the partnership with Games For Love, these moments are happening every day in pediatric rehabilitation spaces nationwide.
James’ story is one of courage, perseverance and gratitude. It is also a testament to the power of play in the healing process.
By combining expert pediatric rehabilitation with the motivational power of video games, Shriners Children’s and Games For Love are redefining what recovery can look like.
Because when therapy feels like play, children don’t just heal.
They level up.
