While most teenagers spend their holidays relaxing or with friends, 13-year-old Sophie Histed from Hillcrest has a unique plan. She uses her school breaks to create handmade plushies, which she then donates to children in the paediatric ward at Calvary North Adelaide Hospital.
Learning to Crochet
Sophie taught herself crochet without any formal training, using YouTube tutorials and a beginner’s kit to learn. It took her around four years to become skilled. She began with knitting before moving to crochet, eventually making toys that brought joy to both children and adults.
Each plushie took about an hour to make, and over the holidays, Sophie produced 30 of them. She didn’t create them simply to give away; she wanted to bring comfort to hospitalised children. 'I just wanted to make people happy and wanted to do something with what I had made, and what better way than giving them to a hospital,' she said.
Sophie didn’t choose who would receive the plushies. Instead, she trusted the hospital staff to make that decision. 'We wanted to leave it up to the hospital staff because they would know who needs them most and the right patients to give them to,' she said. Nurses and hospital workers, who are often underappreciated, were the final judges on who would get the handmade toys.
Hospital staff paused their meetings to admire the plushies before distributing them. Even adults were impressed, as some hospital managers stopped to appreciate the creations. There were a few hospital managers going into a meeting and they stopped for a moment, looking at them; they thought they were great,' Sophie said.
Sophie is not done with the 30 plushies yet. She already plans to create more and is eager to continue. 'It was really fun, and I would like to do this again,' she said. Among the toys, her favorite is a cat wearing an apple suit, and a bright yellow dinosaur also has a special place in her heart.
While many volunteers aim to build their resumes, Sophie finds a different way to give back without seeking recognition. Her effort isn’t about achievements—it's about kindness and genuine connection.