Packard Children’s Hospital Transformed for ‘An Evening in Wonderland’ Prom

As the hospital school year came to a close, teen patients at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford took part in a cherished annual rite of passage: prom

Over the weekend, the hospital’s Dunlevie Garden and adjacent Harvest Café were transformed into an Alice in Wonderland–inspired celebration for students from the Hospital School, as well as teen inpatients and outpatients ages 14 and older.

For many students balancing academics with ongoing medical care, the evening offered a rare opportunity to experience a milestone often taken for granted.

Events like prom were designed by the Child Life and Creative Arts team to help patients maintain a sense of normalcy, connection, and joy during their hospital experience. This year’s theme, “An Evening in Wonderland,” invited patients to step into a whimsical world filled with oversized playing cards, tilted clocks, a checkerboard dance floor, and spaces inspired by the beloved story.

“We transformed different areas into immersive experiences for patients, including traveling ‘down the rabbit hole,’ walking through the Queen’s Garden, attending a whimsical tea party, and more,” said Sydnee Dolphay, child life special events coordinator. “Our goal was to create a magical and imaginative environment that brought the story to life in a fun and memorable way.”

Patients arrived in festive attire, with some medical equipment thoughtfully incorporated into the evening’s theme. Throughout the celebration, attendees enjoyed a Royal Croquet Game, a Mad Hatter Customization Shop, a Painting the Roses Red mural, a Keys to Wonderland Scavenger Hunt, and a stop at the Prize Shop.

They also took part in traditional prom activities, including dancing and posing for photos in a photo booth from Amos Productions. Caricaturist Pete McDonnell captured their likenesses, Pursuit Salon added hair tinsel, magician Jonathan Berry Smith performed card tricks, and the Bobateani Boba Bar offered another playful nod to Wonderland.

Child life specialists, who focus on the emotional well-being of pediatric patients, said the event was about more than celebration. Since prom was is an important adolescent milestone, the prom committee wanted to reimagine familiar elements from Alice in Wonderland in a way that felt engaging, imaginative, and age-appropriate for teen patients.

“Our hope was that prom provided patients with a wonderful experience of a milestone event that they may not have been able to attend if they were in the hospital,” said Dolphay. “More importantly, we wanted this event to celebrate them, create joyful memories, and give them a special night where they could simply have fun and enjoy themselves.” “An Evening in Wonderland” was made possible by generous volunteers and donors, including the Ambassadors for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, Roth Auxiliary, Chartis, Herrero Builders and Truebeck and the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Design and Construction Team.