Help the Patients at KCH Have a Merry Holiday – From a Distance
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 23, 2020) —The holidays will look a little different for everyone this year but that doesn’t mean they can’t be merry and bright. The Child Life staff at Kentucky Children’s Hospital are accepting donations of new and unopened toys, books, games and more for the young patients who will have to spend the holidays at the hospital.
“We try to make the holidays special for patients and their families, and we couldn’t do that without the support of the community,” said Child Life coordinator Jennifer Guilliams. “We know this year has been hard for everyone, so we very much appreciate the generosity of our donors.”
To reduce the risk of exposure for donors and hospital staff, those interested in sending gifts are encouraged to shop the online wishlist. Purchases will be sent directly to the hospital from the vendors. Child Life cannot accept any homemade or used items.
Donors who are unable to mail gifts directly to the hospital can contact the Child Life department to schedule a donation drop off during the designated drop off dates. Due to direction from UK HealthCare’s Infection Control, the Child Life staff will be unable to accept any donations without prior approval; donation delivery must be scheduled in advance. To ensure the health and safety of the Child Life staff and patients, we ask that everyone follow the donation guidelines.
For questions about donation, or to schedule a donation drop off, please email KCHChildlife@uky.edu
Infant & Toddler Toys: (High Need)
- Infant & toddler (high need)
- Infant toys (no cloth toys please)
- Board books
- Sensory books
- Musical aquariums
- Infant mirrors • Light up toys
- Musical toys
- Rattles, shakers and teethers
- Stuffed animals without plastic eyes/ pieces
- V-tech toys
- Wooden puzzles
- Shape sorters
- Stacking toys
Preschool
- Baby dolls (all ethnicities)
- Board games
- Disney character Items
- Hot Wheel/Matchbox cars/tracks
- Play-doh, Play-doh kits
- Wooden puzzles
- Tea sets, play food
- Fisher Price toys, Little Tykes toys
- Pretend play kits (tools, music, medical)
School-age children
- Non-violent action figures/superheroes
- Barbie dolls
- Baby dolls (hard-bodied for cleaning purposes)
- Board games (Life, Monopoly, Battleship, etc.)
- Card games (Uno, Skipbo, Phase Ten, etc.)
- Craft sets, kits, wooden objects to paint
- Lego kits (Star Wars, Superhero, etc.)
- Nerf toys
- Remote-controlled toys and cars
Teens: (High Need)
- Journals and notebooks
- Puzzle books
- Nail polish, makeup, bath lotions
- Jewelry
- Complex lego kits, craft kits
- Nerf ball sets
- Model cars, paint, glue
- Sports balls
- Board games
- CD players/ MP3 players with headphones, speakers
- Water bottles or fun straw cups
- Sports team items (clothing, hats, etc.)
Playroom/Child Life Program supplies
- Gift cards to Meijer, Wal-Mart and Amazon
- Mini bubbles
- Spin lights
- Squeeze balls
- Play-doh
- Craft kits
- Paint brushes
- Coloring books
- Crayons
- Markers
- Colored pencils
- DVD movies (popular cartoons/ ratings of G, PG & PG-13)
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.