Discover Our Difference

Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone is a therapeutic patient care space located on the lobby level (near the Wilf Family Center) of the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. Staffed by Certified Child Life Specialists and Child Life Associates, the End Zone offers patients and their family members a place to engage in various activities outside of their hospital rooms or in-between clinic visits.

---

The End Zone offers:

• Sports simulator
  
  • 12 different sports to choose from
  • Difficulty levels from easy to hard
• Northwestern Mutual Court
  
  • Indoor basketball hoop
• Hall Family Forest
  
  • Quiet space for young children
  • Developmentally appropriate toys
• Century Link Connect
• Video games
• Cub Kitchen
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Board games
    
• Love Your Melon Lounge
  
  • Bubble Hockey
• Meridian Behavioral Health Discovery Wall
• Special events and programs

Hours

Monday-Friday 12-3 p.m., 5-8 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Who can use the space?

Pediatric patients and their family members coming from inpatient units, ancillary areas, and clinic visits are welcome to use the End Zone during open hours. During each visit to the End Zone, patients and families will “check in” to the space. They will be screened for the following criteria:

• Per infection control guidelines, patients under isolation precaution(s) cannot be permitted into the space; this includes the patient’s family members and guests. Inpatient, ancillary and outpatient families will follow these same guidelines.
• Upon entrance to End Zone, all patients/siblings/visitors will be screened for wellness. No symptomatic individuals will be allowed. 
• Children under the age of 16 will need a caregiver (adult family member, staff member, or volunteer) present with them while in the End Zone.

History

When Rudolph and his wife, Jordan, visited Masonic Children’s Hospital for the first time, they felt an instant connection.

“We fell in love with what they do and what they offer to families and kids who go into these situations that are really tough,” Kyle Rudolph said. “After being here in the community for five years—this is our home now—we wanted to do something special.”

With a gift of $250,000 from the Rudolphs, along with support from Aerotek, CenturyLink, Cub, Love Your Melon, Northwestern Mutual-Minneapolis and Abir and Crystal Cullerton-Sen, the hospital was able to build Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone. The End Zone is a 2,500-square-foot space designed to give children and teenagers a place to laugh, relax, engage in healing therapies, and just hang out with other kids who know what it’s like to spend time in the hospital.

In March of 2018 the End Zone officially opened its doors to patients and their family members. The space is staffed by Certified Child Life Specialists, trained in helping patients and their family members cope with the emotional, mental and physical demands of healthcare experiences.

“Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone fits in perfectly with our vision for this children’s hospital,” said Child-Family Life Services manager Rachel Calvert. “This is a healing environment where patients have an opportunity and a space to do the things they really should do, which is play and just be kids.”

Calvert said the space also gives families the opportunity to spend time together outside of a hospital room and “will transform the health of children and create exceptional care experiences.”