Complete Clinical Training to Become a Professional Child Life Specialist
The Division of Child Life and Integrative Care at Cincinnati Children's offers both a child life internship and a child life practicum experience.
Both of these experiences are specifically for individuals preparing for a career in child life.
Please visit the Association of Child Life Professional’s website to learn more about the academic course-work required for child life certification eligibility.
The child life practicum: Optional for individuals who are preparing to become child life interns. This practicum opportunity is open to applicants nationwide for the summer semester and restricted to local applicants for the winter / spring and fall semesters.
The internship in child life: Accredited by the Association of Child Life Professionals. This opportunity is open to applicants nationwide and requires completion of all academic coursework for child life certification eligibility prior to this experience. This opportunity is offered three times a year (winter / spring, summer, and fall) for 15 consecutive weeks, full-time. A part-time internship opportunity is also available. Multiple candidates will be offered internships each semester with one offer per semester specifically prioritized for a local applicant.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center includes multiple satellite locations. Students who are accepted to our child life practicum or internship opportunities can be assigned rotations at any of the following locations:
- Main Campus: 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229
- Liberty Campus: 7777 Yankee Road, Liberty Township, OH 45044
- College Hill Campus: 5642 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45224
- Eden Park Campus: 2001 Gilbert Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Learn More About Our Child Life Student Opportunities at our Info Sessions
We will be hosting opportunities for child life students to participate in a learning session. These sessions will have a topic and will also offer space for participants to ask general questions and gain valuable insights from CCLSs. If you are interested in joining one of our free and virtual sessions, please register using the following Zoom links:
February 16, 2026, 1-2pm EST:
Meeting Registration
March 11, 2026, 12-1pm EST:
Meeting Registration
August 3, 2026, 12-1pm EST:
Meeting Registration
October 20, 2026, 12-1pm EST:
Meeting Registration
Child Life Job Shadow Opportunity
The Child Life Job Shadow Program for the Child Life and Integrative Care (CLIC) Division at Cincinnati Children's provides on-site opportunities designed to help individuals learn about the field of child life. The program offers a two to three-hour experience for up to six individuals interested in learning about the child life profession.
Who is Eligible to Participate?
- High school juniors - Must be at least 16 years of age
- High school seniors
- College students
- Individuals exploring career change
*Students who are 16 or 17 years old will be provided with hands-on experience with certified child life specialists in a hospital conference room not involving patients and families. If you would prefer an opportunity to shadow a child life specialist with patients and families, please wait to submit your application until you are 18.
Application Information:
- Please follow the instructions to apply for the shadow opportunity.
- Submitting the application puts you on the waiting list to be contacted for upcoming dates.
- Individuals chosen to participate will be notified at least one month prior to the shadow date.
- Applicants can accept or decline an offer based on their availability and can indicate if they would like to be considered for a future date.
- There is a limit of six individuals for each shadow date and a limit of two to three dates per year.
