Spread a Smile is a registered charity that supports the wellbeing of seriously ill and hospitalised children during extended hospital stays and treatment. Our services are available, free of charge, to all children up to the age of 18 under the care of our NHS hospital partners. We offer a host of activities and entertainment that support your children, their siblings and you while your child is in hospital or shielding at home. Please see a list of current services below, each with details on how to apply/participate. To receive our monthly family newsletter detailing all our latest services and offers please click on the button above. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us on events@spreadasmile.org or speak to a member of your hospital’s play team. We look forward to meeting you.
Entertainer Visits
Our professional entertainers including magicians, fairies, poets, artists, singers and musicians are available for bedside visits to all children in hospital or isolating at home. We make every effort to ensure every visit is personalised for your child, is fully interactive and meets their individual interests. more less
Young People Visits
We recognise that young people (aged 11-18) have different needs when it comes to visits. We have a wide range of professional artists and entertainers available to meet their individual hobbies and interests including singers, dancers, artists (for drawing/ painting/ watercolour/ digital art tutorials), more less
Smile Parties
We love birthdays and would be delighted to help you celebrate your child’s birthday. If would like to arrange a Smile Party with one of our entertainers for your child and up to six of their friends, please get in touch and we’ll do the rest. The choice of entertainer and activity is entirely yours. more less
Switch on Smile TV
Smile TV is our entertainment channel full of pre-recorded videos from our entertainers and special celebrity guests. Watch magic shows, sing-a-long to your favourite nursery rhymes, popular music and musicals, join in with art and craft tutorials, enjoy nail art sessions, yoga classes and much more. more less
Piano and Singing Lessons
If you would like to learn to play an instrument or improve your skills we can organise tutorials with our professional musicians. At present we are offering lessons with a piano teacher but, if your child is interested in another instrument please discuss your needs with our Visit Manager. In addition, more less
Nursery Rhyme Time
Sign up for nursery rhyme time (suitable for all 0-5s) at 11 am every Wednesday. Led by our talented singers and with all your favourite nursery rhymes, this will be lots of musical fun for our families. Nursery Rhyme Time is a virtual session provided via video conferencing.
After School Club
Our virtual After School Club runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 4pm-5pm with a full schedule of interactive entertainment and creative activities. After School Club welcomes all children and their siblings and encourages them to join in by booking those sessions of interest.
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Summer Events
As restrictions gradually lift, we’re beginning to plan a return of our programme of trips and events. Indeed, we have a number of theatre trips and outdoor events in the pipeline for later this summer which we will announce as soon as planning is complete and in line with government advice. more less
Free Magazine Subscription
Our friends at Readly – the digital subscription service that offers unlimited, “all-you-can-read” access to thousands of magazines in one app – have given us 300 x 3-month free subscriptions to give to our families. Each subscription can have up to five individuals attached.