Hospital stays are not much fun for anybody, especially for children with life threatening illnesses. The constant stream of nurses and doctors, staying cooped up in tight quarters and not feeling well take a toll on young people. For young Kelsey Bohman, who spent the better part of a year at Denver Children's Hospital, the tedium of so many long hospital hours gave her the inspiration to turn the monotony into fun.

Kelsey and her family came up with the concept of a marshmallow launcher to replace the standard spirometer respiratory device used to improve her pulmonary health. The launcher has a loading area for the small puffs and then the patient is required to blow in one end to shoot small marshmallows across the room. The action perfectly imitates the breathing techniques used in a regular spirometer.

The marshmallow launchers retail for just under $9.00 a piece with all proceeds going to the Kelsey's Kids Foundation. Not only do these toys bring an element of whimsy into an environment that often lacks fun for young people, but they help to improve health. A pretty clever idea.