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Few things can brighten a child's spirit more than a toy during a time of distress or illness. Whether you donate a dollhouse, a toy truck or even a stuffed animal, the smiles on their faces are priceless. Unfortunately, many people who want to give to children or children's charities might not know the best way to go about it. All you need are a few simple guidelines to get you started.

Holiday Toy Drives

Every year during the holiday season, local newspapers and news stations begin to advertise their charity drives. Toys for Tots is one of the most popular, but Toys Not Tears and others are also dedicated to providing toys for those in need. If you have small toys to donate, they usually have drop boxes at convenient locations to make things easy. You local supermarket or post office might have a collection area where you can simply leave the toys. If you want to donate larger toys, like dollhouses or something similar, find a phone number for the organization and they can give you more detailed instructions.

One of the biggest advocates for children's toy runs are motorcycle clubs. Every year clubs all over the country organize toy runs where the riders bring a toy in lieu of the cost of participating in the ride. Fire departments, police departments and other governmental organizations also present the community with drives of their own.

Call Your Area Hospitals

Almost every hospital has a wing set aside for pediatrics. Many times, these are kids who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness or other major medical problem. They are away from their family and they might feel depressed surrounded by equipment and dreary institutional settings. With a simple phone call to the hospital, you can find out if they will accept toy donations for the kids. You might even find out if there are some particularly lonely children that could use a *pick me up.* Try to find their age so you can donate appropriate toys that they can enjoy to the fullest.

Contact Local Churches

Churches are always in the business of giving to the needy. Not only do they give away food, they give toys and other goods to families who can*t afford to provide for their children. The church's denomination is not important. Call one of the churches in your area and ask if they have the names of any families with small children that are less fortunate. They will be more than happy to take the toys you have and make sure they get to somebody who can use them.

For most children, toys can do things that nothing else can do. They can bring a smile to their face and provide hours of enjoyment regardless of the child's age. With the exception of holidays, toys are an overlooked necessity for children. It's great to donate during Christmas and other holidays, but donating throughout the year will give you a sense of satisfaction. Finding a local agency is often as simple as looking up a phone number and making a call.