Donate Toys and Gifts to Patients at Children's Health

In-kind donations, also known as gifts in kind, are non-cash donations that help to support the staff, patients and families of Children’s Health℠. Basically, in-kind donations are physical items provided by individuals, non-profit organizations, community groups or corporations and are acknowledged for tax-related purposes.

At Children’s Health, gifts in kind directly support our patient families by offering resources like games, toys, books and personal amenities, all of which help make life better for children. These items bring joy and comfort to patients, helping to celebrate milestones, offer play and distraction and make the hospital environment as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. In many ways, in-kind gifts help us make life better for children. 

Toy and Donation Guidelines at Children's Health

Our patients’ health and safety are our top priorities, and our donation safety guidelines should be reviewed prior to scheduling a gift in kind donation.

Due to strict infection control policies, toy, game, and other in-kind donations to Children's Health must be new, unused, recently purchased, in their original packaging and latex free. Any gift-wrapped items cannot be accepted. For a complete list of items we cannot accept, please click here.

View our most-needed items lists for our Dallas and Plano campuses here.

Handcrafted donations 

Children’s Health also accepts handcrafted donations for our patients through our Volunteer Services team. To learn more, please visit our handcrafted-items page.  

* Current Urgent Needs *

  • Teen
  • Infant
  • Ages 4-7
  • Ages 10 and up
  • Boy
  • Girl
  • Gender neutral

How to Donate Toys and Gifts to Children’s Health

In-kind donations at Children’s Health provide essential support for patients and families by offering comfort, entertainment, and a sense of normalcy during challenging times. Items such as toys, books, games, and personal care products help brighten a child's hospital stay, making their experience less stressful and more enjoyable. Through the generosity of donors, Children’s Health can bring joy and hope to young patients.

There are 3 easy ways you can brighten a patient's day during treatment:

1. Amazon Wish Lists

Our wish lists include our current most-needed items and can be delivered directly to our teams like Child Life, Social Work, and the Library to quickly provide the best experience to our patients. In-kind donations needed vary between our Dallas and Plano campuses and between program areas. Please find their wish lists below to get started:

When purchasing items from Amazon, please complete our online donation form, which is noted in the description on the Amazon page, so that we can appropriately track your gift and provide a tax acknowledgement.

2. Drop off Toy and Gift Donations at Children's Health

Another meaningful way to support our mission is to drop off our most-needed items as outlined above at our campuses at designated locations and times. Due to patient confidentiality and infection control, any donated items will be distributed by Children’s Health staff only. 

Toy and Gift Donation Drop-Off Scheduling

Schedule your drop-off appointment today with our convenient scheduler. Please pick the location you'd like to drop your items off below:

3. Host an In-Kind Donation Drive

Hosting a donation drive helps Children’s Health collect even more items for kids, making life better for children while at our hospitals. If you are interested in supporting our mission in this way, there are just a few simple steps to follow:

  1. Contact Gift Planning at giftplanning@childrens.com
  2. Our team will provide you with information and resources you will need to get started 
  3. Promote your drive 
  4. Start collecting! 
  5. Schedule a time to drop off your items

Frequently Asked Questions About Donating Items to Children’s Health

  • How can I best support the needs of Children’s Health patients and families?

    All donations make a difference, but our patient-facing teams have specific needs to help make life better for children. For our most up-to-date list of needed items for both the Dallas and Plano campuses, please click here.

  • Can I donate gently used items or stuffed animals? 

    No, due to infection control we are only able to provide our patients with new items in their original packaging.

  • What items is Children’s Health unable to accept?

    Due to the health and safety of patients, it’s important to ensure donations meet the criteria of Children’s Health. For a comprehensive list of items we do not accept, please see the attached document or see below:

    • No used, gently used, or opened items  
    • No collector or vintage items 
    • No medical supplies 
    • No collector beanie babies  
    • No weighted blankets 
    • No branded items 
    • No weapons, including toys that look like weapons 
    • No homemade or expired food items 
    • No items containing orbeez, water beads or gel beads  
    • No furniture  
    • No displays/artwork intended for use or display in hospital 
    • No handmade cards/personalized notes  
    • No energy/performance drinks 
    • No CBD/Hemp based products 
    • No latex
    • No gift-wrapped items
    • No flowers/potted plants
    • No coupons (redeemable for items, food, beverages)
    • No drivable (battery-powered) toys (e.g., Power Wheels)
    • No wheeled toys without accompanying helmet (e.g., scooters, bicycles, skateboards)

  • Can I drop off items at your campus?

    Yes, we have two campuses (Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Plano) that accept in-kind donations, including toys, games and items other than cash. Please use our scheduler to book a time that is convenient for you to ensure that someone is present to receive your donation.  

  • Can someone pick up my donation? 

    No, due to transportation limitations we are unable to pick up donations.

  • I tried to book an appointment but don’t see availability that matches my schedule. What can I do? 

    All appointments must be scheduled with at least 24 hours' notice. While we have done our best to accommodate a wide variety of dates and times, if you would like to inquire about an exception outside of available hours, please contact giftplanning@childrens.com. 

  • Can I deliver my donation to the children? 

    Due to patient confidentiality and infection control, donors are not able to deliver gifts to our patients and we are not able to provide pictures once a donation is received.  

  • Can I bring a group to the hospital to interact with patients?

    Due to patient safety and infection control, no visitors are allowed inside the hospital unless authorized by staff or a family member. If you would like to organize a donation drive for your group, see our Host-a-Donation-Drive steps. For further questions, please contact giftplanning@childrens.com.

  • Does Children’s Health accept gift cards?

    Gift cards can only be used at Children’s Health to help qualified families with non-medical financial assistance.  They cannot be provided to patients as gifts in lieu of toys. Any gift cards intended for family use must be administered by Children’s Health and cannot be directly by donors to patient families nor to staff outside the in-kind donation drop-off process. Gift cards can be donated at our Plano and Dallas campuses by scheduling an appointment to ensure that they are used according to relevant guidelines and patient and family needs.

  • Can I drop off food for patient families?

    No homemade food is allowed to be distributed to patient families due to safety and contamination risks. Food deliveries directly from restaurants must be approved and coordinated with a staff member. Any donations that include prepackaged snacks must also be vetted by our Volunteer Services team to review expiration dates and ingredients to protect patients and families.

  • Can I take video or photos while on the hospital campus?

    No. We kindly ask that you do not take photos or video, activate social media or invite media outlets for patient privacy. If media does arrive on campus, they will be kindly turned away. In the event of a scheduled donation drop-off, we provide a photo opportunity outside, taken by staff. For more information, please review our media release form.  

  • How else can I help make life better for children?  

    In addition to gifts in kind like toys, games, books and more, the needs of North Texas children and their families are growing. To make a child smile and bring them comfort, you may also donate items by purchasing products from our Amazon Wishlists or make a monetary donation.  

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in supporting Children’s Health through gift in-kind. Please contact giftplanning@childrens.com if you have questions.