Are you looking for a child life internship in a private practice? Play Warriors offers a 600-hour Child Life Internship designed to align with professional standards established by the Association of Child Life Professionals. This internship provides a unique opportunity to gain experience in a private practice setting with additional exposure to medical and community-based environments. We also support students looking for volunteer opportunities both virtual and in-person. You must submit a resume, cover letter and references by November 1st (Spring candidates) and by May 1st (Fall candidates). (Still accepting for Spring 2026)
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Additional rotations may include:
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Medical Camps
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Local Hospitals
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Grief Centers
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Jails
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Advocacy Centers
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Schools
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"In Spring 2026, I completed my 600 hour internship requirement at Play Warriors. The populations served at Play Warriors, staff, and offsite learning opportunities provided an enriched, unique internship experience.
Play Warriors strives to be the support that the community needs, meaning kids can come to Play Warriors for a variety of reasons. During my internship, I worked with kids who were experiencing grief and loss, medical diagnoses, trauma, and more. Additionally, a large population served at Play Warriors are neurodivergent kids. Through the neurodivergent play groups and one on one sessions, the kids learn social skills, coping techniques, and are offered a support person as they go through life. Being able to work with kids on a weekly or biweekly schedule allowed me to develop rapport with the children and families that utilize Play Warriors. Throughout my five month internship I was able to see the kids grow and develop each time I saw them. As Play Warriors went through new life experiences, their support system remained at Play Warriors, and it was an honor to be a part of that support system. Support given was multifaceted. For example, I was able to help develop resources such as coping tools for kids to use, schedules for going to different parent’s houses, diagnosis information sheets and more. Resources were developed based on the needs of the families, there was always something new to work on and research to best support the families at Play Warriors. Additionally, as a part of my internship assignments, I developed a therapeutic activity plan each week. I utilized this activity in the beginning of each session, checking in with kids and learning about their week. This assignment allowed me to develop my assessment skills, I tailored the activity to the needs of the child, and developed rapport with them to learn more about how they were coming to session that day.
Further, the staff at Play Warriors create an environment that is welcoming, inclusive and open to a variety of learning opportunities. Although small, the team at Play Warriors is mighty. They are constantly working to support the families at Play Warriors and the general community. During my internship, I primarily worked with the two Certified Child Life Specialists on staff, whom I learned a lot from. I also observed kids being referred to the other support services, occupational therapy and counseling. Towards the tail end of my internship, Play Warriors was developing a grief support program, based on the needs in the community. This program development showcases that Play Warriors is consistently working to provide support to individuals. As a student, this aspect of Play Warriors allowed me to learn a lot, it also helped show me the needs that there are in the community.
In addition to the opportunities provided directly at Play Warriors, there were also offsite learning opportunities provided. Kim, the lead CCLS at Play Warriors consistently reached out to places to advocate for learning opportunities for students. During my internship, I was able to have observational days at a hospital, work at a medical camp and tour local resources such as a grief center. These opportunities allowed me to see child life in different settings and provided continuous learning and development.
Overall, all of these elements make completing an internship at Play Warriors a truly unique, enriching experience. I am so grateful to have been able to complete my internship at Play Warriors. I was able to learn a lot, meet incredible people and grow my passion for the field. There are a lot of skills that I learned during internship that I will be taking with me as I move forward in the child life field. Although I see myself starting off in the hospital setting, Play Warriors solidified the fact that I hope to end up in the community setting, so that I can help meet the needs of children and families on a long term basis. I would strongly recommend completing your internship at Play Warriors, it has truly changed my perspective of child life for the better."
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"Kim's expertise and knowledge as a certified child life specialist is impressive. Kim created a safe and supportive space for me, prioritizing my growth and success. She made me feel valued as a student and empowered me to think critically as a child life specialist. Through thoughtful conversations and constructive feedback, I was able to develop my skill set. Anyone fortunate enough to work with Kim is lucky, as her guidance and mentorship make a lasting impact.
-Grace (Child Life Student)