NICU Babies Get Dressed Up in Tiny Wicked: For Good Inspired Costumes at Ohio Hospital

An Ohio hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit is tapping into the magical spirit of Oz in the sweetest way.

On Monday, Nov. 17, Dayton Children’s Hospital in Ohio shared how its NICU team brought a bit of Broadway-inspired joy to their smallest patients ahead of the much-anticipated release of Wicked: For Good. In photos posted to Facebook, the hospital revealed newborns dressed as iconic characters from the world of Oz.

The tiny costumes captured plenty of “courage, heart and joy.” One baby wore a pink gown with a silver crown and star wand, nodding to Ariana Grande’s Glinda. Another channeled Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, in a black outfit topped with a witch hat and a miniature broom.

Other infants took on classic Wizard of Oz roles. One newborn appeared as Dorothy in a blue-and-white checkered dress with a matching headband and red booties. Nearby, fellow NICU babies wore equally adorable Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion outfits.

Hospital staff said each costume added a “spark of joy” to a unit where many families are navigating some of their hardest days. The themed dress-up is part of the NICU’s ongoing effort to create cheerful moments, helping parents feel connected to life beyond the hospital walls.

“While the outfits may be small, their impact is anything but,” the hospital wrote. “For parents spending their baby’s earliest moments in the hospital, these glimpses of normalcy matter more than words can say.”

One NICU mom, Brittany, shared how meaningful those moments can be for families. “It’s nice for us to get to do some things that normal parents would get to do with their babies — having the opportunity to have these fun moments, to see people celebrating your child, not worrying about him,” she said. “It means the world.”