5 handy hints for donating toys to children’s hospitals

2021-01-07
A selection of bright and colourful bears and other plush toys is pictured; the backdrop is white with floral designs.
The Kids’ Cancer Project shares all the ins and outs of safe toy donations to hospitals.
  1. New toys only please
  2. Research each hospital’s rules
  3. Check for urgent needs or special requests
  4. Do not wrap your toy donations
  5. Seek an organisation that does the hard work for you

Many hospitals around Australia gladly accept gifts and toys all year-round to give babies, children, and young people some light relief during their stay.

Donated stuffed toys and gifts are distributed for special holidays and birthdays, end-of-treatment celebrations, and other significant milestones. But they’re also used to reward and bring comfort to brave little patients as they face the scary reality of a stay in hospital.  

The Kids’ Cancer Project knows all the ins and outs of safe toy donations to hospitals, after all this is a charity that has been doing this since 2009 through its Bear Program. 

5 handy hints for donating toys to children’s hospitals

A bear dressed like a pirate and a bear dressed like a superhero are sitting in a shopping trolley; the background is a blurred supermarket aisle.

1. New toys only please

Hospitals have strict hygiene policies as lots of patients struggle with infections. So, it is best that toys are bought specifically for the purpose of donating, that way germs can be stopped at the door. 

2. Research each hospital’s rules

Every hospital will have different rules for accepting donated toys. If you have a specific hospital in mind, contact them by phone or have a look at their website to find out what their policies are.

On a desk is a cup of coffee next to a piece of paper with the word
A mobile device is shown, on its screen is a large alert with the word

3. Check for urgent needs or special requests

You might be surprised by what toys, supplies and activities children’s hospitals really need. The sweet spot for buying new toys for kids in hospital is 3 – 19 so it’s very often that children aged 0 – 3 and 12 – 18 get forgotten.  

The Kids’ Cancer Project has most major hospitals covered with cuddly teddy bears so think about craft items that are used every day like coloured pencils, crayons and felt markers, modelling clay, Lego, Duplo, craft kits, science and medical play kits.

4. Do not wrap your toy donations

There’s no need to wrap your toy donations. Hospitals make this request because it’s important for hospital staff to be able to see the toy and then make sure it is safe and age appropriate for the child it is kindly being given to.

In the background, a person is wrapping a gift; there are supplies like paper, tape and scissors on their work surface. An overlay of a large red circle with a line through it indicates that this is to be avoided.
A screen capture of the TKCP website shows the Store where you can purchase bears to be donated to

5. Seek an organisation that does the hard work for you

Don’t be put off by all the rules hospitals have in place – the right toy donations are warmly welcomed! But if you don’t have time to do the research, The Kids’ Cancer Project Bear Program can help you get the feel-good factor. With the click of a few buttons your donation will be on its way to either a hospital of your choice or where it’s needed most. 


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