Five Holiday Donation Gift Ideas for Hospitalized Kids
The holidays mark a season of giving back to others and sharing the joy of the season.
Do you remember what the joy of the holidays was like for you? Do you remember the warmth and coziness of gathering with your family and friends? Or the excitement that filled your heart when you tore open a brand-new toy?
There are hundreds of kids across the country who are in need of those same merry moments as they spend their holidays at the hospital. When the coziness and joy of the season are brought to children's rooms, they find a sense of happiness to persevere through challenges of hospitalization.
Since not all donated gifts will meet hospital infection rules, consider giving these five hospital-approved gifts to fill a kid’s hospital stay with laughter and holiday spirit!
Donation Gift Ideas for Children
1. Toy Deliveries - $25 donation to help fund one pallet of toys
For three-year-old Danika, her leukemia means she stays at the hospital often to undergo many procedures. Frequently staying in the hospital, Danika often feels lonely not having kids her own age around her, but Starlight Toy Deliveries such as a coloring book gave her joy and comfort.
For kids like Danika, toys, books, and art & crafts gives them a sense of relief by bringing them closer to what is familiar and reconnecting them to their home life. Playing with toys also gives kids an outlet for their emotions, replacing feelings of loneliness with happiness!
2. Hospital Gowns - $40 donation to fund one hospital gown
Due to his medical complexities, six-year-old Jules frequently stays at the hospital for procedures, tests, and most recently, a transplant surgery. Jules is usually anxious and upset when stays at the hospital, but wearing Starlight Hospital Gowns makes him joyful and excited.
Jules enjoys wearing his Starlight Hospital Gowns because they are softer and provide more coverage. For kids like Jules, the gowns help replace anxiety with comfort by creating greater privacy.
3. Hero Wagons - $200 donation to fund one hero wagon
Edison lives with chronic lung disease, cerebral palsy, sleep apnea, and chronic sinusitis. His hospital journey includes many hospital stays due to a g-tube he had placed, procedures, and pneumonia infections.
The Starlight Hero Wagon made all the difference for Edison and his family. The IV pole attachment makes it convenient for Edison to move around and is much more comfortable.
“[The wagon is] much better than a hospital wheelchair or stroller. He [Edison] felt so comfortable in his own space in the wagon”
- Mallory, Edison's mom
Gifts for Older Kids & Teens
4. Gaming Handheld - $1,600 donation to fund one gaming handheld
The Starlight Nintendo Switch Handheld is a portable Nintendo Switch that can be carried to children's hospital rooms. It is designed to meet hospitals' safety guidelines while providing ease of use. When kids play on the Starlight Handheld, kids find a positive distraction that also provides a sense of normalcy.
5. Gaming Station - $5,000 donation to fund one gaming station
Jacob’s pneumonia and shortness of breath caused by hypoxia leads to stays at the hospital. Staying in an unfamiliar environment can cause fear and anxiety, but playing on the Starlight Nintendo Switch Gaming Station helps Jacob feel secure doing something he would normally do at home.
Play through interactive video games helps kids like Jacob process their emotions in the hospital setting and feel more positive about what is happening before and after a procedure.
With your support, we can make the holidays brighter for kids in the over 700 medical facilities in Starlight’s hospital network, many of which serve patients from medically underserved and vulnerable populations.
Every dollar counts towards giving the holiday gifts of comfort and cheer to children when they need it most.
