The nursing team at the University of São Paulo Hospital has implemented actions directed to parents, such as support groups, training for hospital discharge and their involvement in the progressive care to their children. Aiming at expanding such care, the authors have implemented a support program involving ludic and recreational activities with the parents of hospitalized preterm babies under risk. The account of this experience is the object of this work. The interventions were performed by a group of nursing students who gather with the parents weekly for a period of two hours and develop group-dynamics techniques; leisure activities; creativity workshops involving manual work and discussions on themes concerning personal and environmental hygiene. Through these new care strategies directed to parents, the authors expect to contribute to the process of construction of more integral and humanized care in the area of neonatology by focusing on the family.
neonatal nursing care; parents care; recreational activities