Advocate Children's Hospitals celebrate National Beach Day with summer-themed event

CHICAGO (WLS) -- National Beach Day might not be until Friday, but the sun was still shining in at some Chicago area hospitals.

Infants in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) at Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn and Park Ridge celebrated early by dressing in festive summer outfits.

Hospital personnel helped parents dress up their little ones and decorated their cribs with everything you need for the beach, from beach balls, rubber ducks and flowers. There was a hula girl, a mermaid and even two twins floating in inner tubes.

The event was an occasion for families to get creative and experience a bit of normalcy and joy in an otherwise stressful environment. Some of the babies were just a few days old, while others have been in the unit for more than four months.