[Prescription for the day: infusion of cheer. Using art as an instrument in the care of hospitalized children].

The purpose of this study is to report on the experiment of a group of undergraduate students from the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, who use art (some aspects of the Clown Theatre) as a nursing resource in the care to hospitalized children. Having as basis the job performed by the group of physicians "Joy Doctors", and the theoretical grounding from Psychology and Pediatric and Neonatal Nursing, those students founded the Laugh Company that aims at rescuing laugh within the hospitalized child/family. This experiment has caused some changes in daily care: the hospital space has become more informal and relaxed, laugh can be heard more often and some items, such as, objects, sounds, movements, colours, rooms and people can become toys.