Hospital Clowning

Performing as a hospital clown is very rewarding and greatly appreciated by both patients and staff whom you entertain. Hospitals can often be a bit of a downer for the patients who are ill and staff members working long hours. Seeing a bright smiling clown face with a fun bag of tricks is usually a welcomed sight.

Remember though the rules for hospital clowning are different than a birthday party. You will first have to make arrangements with the hospital before popping in your clown-e best. Balloons are usually a no-no mostly due to the noise, remember, hospitals often have noise restrictions. When hospital clowning make sure you that you are considerate of the patient’s privacy; only entertain if you are a welcomed guest.

A great way to have fun with your crowd is to become “Doctor Clown”; there are some many wonderful props made for just this occasion.
  • Giant Clown Stethoscope: A white lab coat with the giant clown stethoscope around your neck is a great start to your ensemble.
  • Hospital Tote Bag: I like to load up a hospital tote bag with my props, which not only looks the part but make it easy to keep track of your stuff.

On With The Show

The giant stethoscope is a great prop; I like to listen to the patient’s funny bone to make sure they remember how to laugh. Pull out the funny bone from your bag and let them know you can give them a transplant if needed. Use your smiley knee hammer to check reflexes or hammer down a lump on there bed.

Use your imagination with these specialty props; you can have a lot of fun with them. Use caution around the medical equipment so that you do not disrupt or damage anything. Most of all don’t hurt a patient. Since you can’t hand out balloons you can substitute the napkin rose. This is a wonderful item and can last for a very long time. The napkin rose is a specially made napkin with a color and about 1/3 of the napkin with the remainder being green. When spun properly they make a beautiful paper rose.

I highly encourage you to try your hand a hospital clowning, it is a great way to improve your people skills and warm the hearts of those who really need it. Happy Clowning!
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