High School

If you are interested in becoming a child life specialist, you will need to plan on going to college after high school. Therefore, you should take a college preparatory curriculum. As a child life specialist you will need to understand family dynamics, child development, educational play, and basic medical terminology. To help you prepare for this specialty, take psychology and sociology courses and, if available, child development classes. In addition, be sure that your class schedule includes science courses, including health and biology. Because communication is such an important aspect of this work, take English, communication, and speech classes. You may also want to take art, physical education, and drama classes to develop skills that you can use in a variety of therapies, such as play, art, and recreation therapy.

Postsecondary Training

Some colleges or universities offer specific programs in child life, and quite a number of schools offer course work in areas related to child life. Those who attend colleges or universities that do not have specific child life programs should major in another appropriate field, such as child development, psychology, and social work. Do some research before you select a school to attend. The Association of Child Life Professionals advises those considering this career to look for a school program that has sufficient faculty, a variety of field opportunities, and positive student evaluations. Typical classes to take include child psychology, child growth and development, family dynamics, and theories of play. Select an educational program that offers internships. An internship will give you supervised experience in the field as well as prepare you for future employment. As part of their enrollment in a graduate educational and training program, child life specialists frequently develop particular areas of expertise related to the patient populations they serve. 

A child life administrator is usually required to have a master's degree in child development, behavioral psychology, education, or a related field. Graduate-level course work typically includes the areas of administration, research, and advanced clinical issues. Those who wish to be considered for positions as child life administrators must also have work experience supervising staff members, managing budgets, and preparing educational materials.

Other Education or Training

The Association of Child Life Professionals offers webinars to members and nonmembers. The title of one past webinar was "Managing Communication and Conflict." Contact the association for information on current webinars.

Certification or Licensing

Certification as a certified child life specialist is available through the Child Life Certification Commission, a subsidiary of the Association of Child Life Professionals. Certification criteria include passing an examination, having at least a bachelor's degree and fulfilling other education requirements, and completing a minimum of 600 hours of child life clinical internship under the direct supervision of a certified child life specialist. Although certification is voluntary, it is highly recommended. Some health care centers will not hire a child life specialist who is not certified.

Completion of an internship in college is highly recommended. Contact the Association of Child Life Professionals for information on obtaining an internship.

To be a successful child life specialist you should enjoy working with people, especially children. You will be part of a health care team, so you must be able to communicate effectively with medical professionals as well as able to communicate with children and their families. You must be creative in order to come up with different ways to explain complicated events, such as a surgery, to a child without frightening him or her. You will also need maturity and emotional stability to deal with situations that may otherwise upset you, such as seeing chronically ill or severely injured children. Those who enjoy this work are able to focus on its positive aspects—helping children and their families through difficult times.