The Art & Joy of Hospital Clown Training Program by Jeannie Lindheim

The Art & Joy of Hospital Clown Training Program
by Jeannie Lindheim

"Your book changed the course of history for me and hospital clowning here. It gave me confidence, knowledge and ideas how to go about starting my own training program. The war changed everything but since the beginning we were daily in shelter for refugees and hospitals and applying clowning. Thank you, Jeannie, pen is stronger then the sword and thru your book, you influenced so many lives here. With warmest hugs and love from the Ukraine" — Jan Tomasz Rogala

The book supports the growth and professionalism of improvisation-based hospital clowning. Inside the book, there is a link (a QR code and a YouTube channel) to a video which illustrates many of the 32 exercises in the book.

Originally published in 2005, the book sold in 23 countries. After Jeannie read Jan’s recent email above written in 2023, she knew she had to republish the book. The exercises in the book highlight some of the most important aspects of hospital clowning: to empower children, ask their permission, and give them choices. This is an enormous gift for children, who are seldom given choices about their care in the hospital. This style of improvisational clowning gives them the sense of control over some aspect of their hospital world.

The book includes magical moments with patients, tips on role playing the patient in the bed, ideas for clowning in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, improvisations to give birth to your clown, information about what fosters creativity, what kills creativity, how to float your judges away, and self-care, as well as modifications for clowning with children on the autism spectrum, with deaf or blind children, and with people of all ages, including babies, toddlers, teenagers, parents, and staff. The many fun improvisational theater games will inspire your creative imagination.

A special section has been added called The Art of Group Leadership. It provides a trainer with many ways to introduce these exercises to a group.

Proceeds from the sale of this manual support Hearts & Noses Hospital Clown Troupe, Inc. (formerly Jeannie Lindheim’s Hospital Clown Troupe, Inc.). Your purchase helps us bring happiness to children . . . one clown at a time.

"Given Jeannie Lindheim's extensive background in theatre and drama education, it is no small surprise that this manual is chock full of exercises and insights from the likes of Viola Spolin, Michael Chekhov, and Avner the Eccentric. These elements, along with Jeannieʹs own unique contributions, provide a practical, user-friendly introduction to Jeannieʹs improvisationally-based style of hospital clowning."
— David Langdon
ChildLife Specialist / Therapeutic Clown
"This book will be truly useful and inspiring for hospital clowns."
— Camilla Gryski
"We’ve all heard about how good it is to be a caring clown. Here is the manual on how to develop a spontaneous hospital clown group. Best of all, it comes from the heart – not the makeup and costume. All clown groups, whether you work with children or adults, singles or pairs, experienced or inexperienced, can benefit from adapting the exercises, experience, and wisdom to your programs. I recommend it highly."
— Shobi Dobi, The Clown
Shobhana Schwebke
Publisher, The Hospital Clown Newsletter