LeBron James -- Team Trip to CLE Children's Hospital

The Cleveland Cavs hit the road Wednesday -- taking some time away from the court to visit a Children's Hospital in Cleveland ... and we're told the kids were PUMPED about the visit.

A spokesperson for the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital confirms LeBron James, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, Anderson Varejao and James Jones spent more than an hour hanging out with the kids and giving out cool Cavs swag.

"It's a big deal," one staffer told us ... "They come every year. They spend a lot of time in each room. They hang out and really make the kids happy."

"For that time they're here visiting, it's amazing what it does to their spirits and mood and how it impacts their time in the hospital."