Even after coming up with 101 Operation Christmas Child shoe box ideas for Samaritan’s Purse, I’m sure there are lots of things that I didn’t list, but at least this will get you started. I have packed boxes with my kids for many years, but this year, I will be packing my boxes so much differently.
*Scroll down for the printable list of 101 Ideas for Shoebox Gift Items
Questions about Operation Christmas Child? Click on the links for answers:
- When is National Collection Week?
- Where do I drop off my shoebox?
- How can a shoebox be a ministry?
- How can I best pack my shoebox?
- How do I plan a Christmas shoebox packing party?
This year, my heart will remember the many box openings that I was blessed to witness firsthand when I went to Ecuador with OCC last February. I’ll see those beautiful faces and truly joyful smiles of the children I met as I fill each box. Please know that these boxes mean so much to the children and their families. They really do.
FREE 101 IDEAS PRINTABLE: We now have a FREE one-page printable list of all the 101 ideas below. This is perfect for distributing at your church or school, pinning up on bulletin boards, or taping to your refrigerator. Go HERE to print yours!
Operation Christmas Child Ideas for Boxes
These Operation Christmas Child ideas for boxes are going to work for either gender and most ages.
- Hard candy, gum (Please remember to double bag all candy!)
- Pencils, colored pencils, and sharpener
- Erasers
- Pencil case
- Crayons
- Pens
- A personal letter and photo (Find tips for writing a letter HERE.)
- About Me page (Free coloring printables for younger children are HERE.)
- Ruler
- Glue stick
- Safety scissors
- Coloring book
- Markers
- Notepads
- Stickers
- Self-inking stamp
- Tennis shoes
- Socks
- Water shoes
- Flip flops
- Hand held toys
- Plush small animals
- Balls: Tennis balls, bouncy balls, Wiffle balls
- Jigsaw puzzle
- Finger puppets
- Silly Putty
- Silly Bands
- Sunglasses
- Scarves
- Bandanas
- Gloves
- Small flannel throw (Roll it up! It will fit!)
- Necklace
- Watch
- Hat
- Shoelaces
- Bean bag
- Hacky sack
- Small dry erase board and markers
- Teddy bear
- Unopened Happy Meal toy
- Toy binoculars
- Inflatable balls
- Legos
- Solar-powered flashlight
- Harmonicas
- Recorder
- Tambourine
- Jump rope
- Paddle ball
- Yo yo’s
- Handheld Etch A Sketch
- Small board books
- Slinky
- Flash cards
- Miniature checkerboard and checkers
- T-shirts
- Plastic poncho in packet
- Drawstring bag
- Balloons
- Crafting kit (beads, etc)
- Toy toolkit set (Thanks, Jenia!)
- Plastic eating utensils
- Sippy cup/cup with a lid
Grooming and Hygiene Items for Christmas Shoeboxes
These grooming and hygiene items for Christmas shoeboxes are always welcomed by the children and their families.
65. Comb
66. Brush
67 Dental floss
68. Mild soap (Please put in plastic bag or travel container.)
69. Toothpaste (This too! Be sure it’s in a plastic bag.)
70. Toothbrush
71. Colorful bandages
72. Hand wipes
73. Small pack colorful tissues
74. Lip balm
75. Emery board/nail clippers
Don’t forget your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox labels HERE!
Operation Christmas Child Ideas for Girls
These are some Operation Christmas Child ideas for girls, if you are packing a girl box.
76. Package of multi-colored Sharpies (Thanks, Rachel!)
77. Travel sewing kit (10-14 girl)
78. Fat Quarter bundles (10-14 girl) (Thanks, Stephani!)
79. Hair ribbons
80. Ponytail holders
81. Barrettes
82. Small pots/pans with spatula
83. Bangle bracelets
84. Clip-on earrings
85. Doll
86. Pom poms (like the ones used at football games)
87. Purse
88. Hand mirror (unbreakable)
Operation Christmas Child Box Ideas for Boys
Below are some more tips for Operation Christmas Child box ideas for boys.
89. Ball cap
90. Soccer ball with pump
91. Cars
92. Trucks
93. Kazoos
94. Compass
95. Hammer (10-14 boy, must be in original packaging) (Thanks, Jennifer!)
96. Nails (10-14 boy, must be in original packaging + zipper bag)
97. Screwdriver (10-14 boy, must be in original packaging)
98. Screws (10-14 boy, must be in original packaging + zipper bag)
99. LED keychain (10-14 boy)
100. Duct tape (10-14 boy)
101. Tape measure (10-14 boy)
I would love for you to share this post on your Facebook wall, your Pinterest boards, Tweet about it–whatever your preference for sharing with friends. This is a ministry that is near and dear to my heart, and I want this year to be the best year ever for Operation Christmas Child! If you have more ideas, please be sure to include them in the comments below.
Find more tips for filling your Christmas shoeboxes on Faithful Provisions.
Find more Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ideas on my Pinterest board!
I recently posted about this very topic
Our family loves OCC. Here is my link to the post: http://filledwithpraise.blogspot.com/2012/09/it-is-that-time-of-year.html
There are so many wonderful possibilities to fill the boxes. I love it!
Blessings,
Amy
Solar powered lanterns on amazon’s website for around $9.99…seems perfect item to give.
When and where can I get the OCC shoe boxes for this year? I used to do these every year, but seemed to be too late the last couple of years. I’ve been collecting stuff all year and would love to send a few.
Angela, you can usually pick them up from a drop off location. You can also contact them on their site and they will send you some.
If you don’t mind spending a bit you can get plastic containers with lids at the dollar store. They are the same size as a shoe a box, see thru, and don’t get squished or torn.
The plastic boxes are my favorite way to ship a shoebox!
They use these boxes in multiple ways too. (The receipients)
This is in response to an old post…but, I too thought plastic shoeboxes would be great. However, my daughter has recently gone to some meetings for our church to be a drop off place and one of the important things she learned was the plastic boxes often arrive broken due to shipment and differences in temps! Who would have thought? The cardboard shoeboxes seem to do best.
That his great to know Linda! Thanks so much for passing that on.
I heard that the plastic boxes are good (just not the dollar tree ones)
We purchase the plastic boxes at WalMart. They seem to be quite sturdy and are flexible enough that they don’t break. We were happy to notice that they are made in America, to boot! I have a lot of scrap book paper, and I use a 12 x 12 sheet, folded with the pattern facing out, to line the boxes. I do end up trimming an inch or so off the ends, but it goes so much faster than when I was trying to cut rolled-up Christmas wrapping paper to fit.
I buy a few of these at the beginning of the year (along with a few Christmas clearance items!) and then as I find other treasures throughout the year, i toss them in. It eliminates the chance of losing things and lessens the burden of purchasing fillers at the last minute.
I have learned that the cardboard shoe boxes are best. The plastic ones do crack and break, especially the cheap ones. This is according to a person who is a volunteer at a processing center and she has seen this firsthand. This does seem counter-intuitive. You can check this out on this web site:
http://www.zujava.com/samaritans-purse-operation-christmas-child
Actually it is better to use the regular OCC box.
In my experience at the warehouse the plastic shoe boxes do not fit as nicely together for shipping and less wind up in a shipping box. It also takes a lot longer to process at the warehouse.
I have also been told from people who are at the giveaways that they tend to break so they keep extra cardboard boxes on hand just in case.
I wonder why OCC is making these available this year, if those don’t work out?
OCC made great efforts to engineer a box that is a lot more durable and able to handle the temp changes. Also they made boxes that should have less wasted space.
I would advise caution when getting one of those plastic boxes They have no give to them and therefore crack and even shatter during shipping. Cardboard is great, or an opaque plastic box that has some give to it (they almost feel like there is some rubber in the plastic.
I, too, collect all year long. School supplies at the Wal-mart back to school sale. Socks at the Black Friday sale. 4 for $1 individually wrapped toothbrushes at Dollar Tree. 100 stickers on a roll at amazon.com. T shirts or hoodies for $1 at the Wal-mart end of season clearance. We make crocheted balls stuffed with plastic grocery bags. 10 cent hats at Wal-mart’s winter clearance. Dum Dum suckers are an inexpensive candy. I get the 18 pack of washcloths in the kitchen/bath section at Wal-mart. 10 combs for $1 at Dollar Tree. LIttle purses made out of scrap fabric and ribbon. I try to focus on buying one type of item a month. With all the good deals, we were able to make 50 this year.
Shari, do you have a pattern for crocheted balls? I would love to get started on them for next year! We had our first church packing party this year and made 50 boxes this year!! We love the 97cent plastic boxes at Walmart.
Hi. Do you have a pattern for the balls. Also how do you make the little purses out of scrap fabric and ribbon.
Angela, don’t forget the last day they will be collecting boxes is the Nov. 19th, this coming Monday! I know you don’t want to miss it if you’ve been collecting.
thanks for this list. my 5th grade class does this every year. it will be great to give them some fresh ideas.
If i want to send one, where do i send it?
If you go to this link, you can find drop off locations for the boxes…
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Drop_Off_Locations/
Thanks for sharing that link!
Great ideas!
Just a question, are Tootsie Rolls and gums definitely OK to send? I thought that it had to be hard candy and Tootsie Rolls can melt and make a sticky mess. Just curious.
Gum is ok to include, but Tootsie Rolls are not allowed anymore because they can melt. Some of the boxes may sit in a very hot warehouse (think Africa and Southern Asia) for several months before being delivered to the kids. I know this from volunteering at the Atlanta packing/distribution center for the last several years.
This is a wonderful list. Thank you.
They are requesting no gum this year.
http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/rss/operation-christmas-child/get-involved/operation-christmas-child-packing-your-shoe-boxes/
Thanks for sharing the link, Tanya. I just noticed toothpaste was on the “do not include list!!” I put toothpaste in all my boxes this year. I guess I will have to take them out and donate them!
I just noticed that the link is for OCC Canada and they have different regulations than the US does.
Watercolor paint sets, dental floss, chapstick, shoelaces, plastic eating utensils, sippy cups, a small bowl or plate, a potholder, a spatula, mini-stapler and staples.
Also, whenever we’re near an Old Navy store, we stop and get the big bouncy balls for 25cents each. They’re so much better than the little ones.
kt
Chapsticks will melt I wouldn’t do that….. :/ maybe the already liquid lipgloss.
Liquids aren’t allowed.
The lip balm (generic Chap Stick) that come in the little pots is best, this way it is self-contained if it melts.
As somebody who’s been on the other side of Shoebox project, I can’t help but comment. The list is generally good, but:
1. Outside of the US, people don’t use washcloths too much, which means they don’t know what they are. When you are a child, it’s hard to be excited about a little rag
2. Same goes for yo-yo’s
3. Same goes for jacks.
4. Same goes for kazoos.
These last three are really not self-explanatory, unless you’ve grown up around them.
Chances are, the kids won’t be able to do anything with a baseball glove either.
Most of the non-American kids I knew thought Tootsie rolls were gross. Lifesavers are usually a favorite, as well as chewy candy.
May I suggest lip balm for older girls, cute little notebooks/journals for girls of all ages, and watches for everyone. If you can find a set of toys like a toolkit, doctor’s kit, a tea set small enough to fit, it is fantastic, too.
If you are putting together a box for the youngest age group, see if you can find small board books, especially sensory ones.
Jenia – Thank you so much for your feedback! We will make some changes to the list to make it even better.
Thank you for putting together these boxes!
Great suggestions and insight. Thank you!
I understand what you are saying about not knowing what to do with certain items. However, a wash cloth to me is just another way to once again emphesize the washing away of sin. Also at the distributions there will be volunteers that can show/teach them what they are not sure of in the boxes.
I am English and I don’t even use a wash cloth myself!! You can wash with your hands, so long as you have soap. Soap, toothbrush and toothpaste went in my box but not a wash cloth. I think this would be considered non-essential in such a poor country…!!
i don’t use washcloths for washing, i use them as a TOWEL. very handy! if you are a small person and have short hair you can use them exactly like a towel. i think the older kids would understand this, certainly in some remote areas maybe they’d have to have it explained. in Italy we do not have towels, but we have hand towels (they are the longer ones), they are too big for me so when i am in USA i buy washcloths. easier to wash too! and anyone older would at least recognize you can clean with them. i do packages for the 14 year olds (i know it’s 10-14) but their mothers would know.
oops i meant “in italy we do not have WASHCLOTHS”
Wash cloths are of course not essential. That’s not the point. The children and adults can use them for whatever they want. The poor appreciate anything. If we are going to send essentials, than send food, etc.
Samaritan’s Purse, OCC is about GIFTS, to show God’s love.
Hope the above sheds a different light on wash cloths or soap for that matter.
Wash cloths? Absolutely, include them. The youngster will figure it out. The very poor can use cloth for anything, and it has nothing to do with “washing away sin.” The older girls could use them as menstrual pads, adults for cleaning anything. Children are very creative, so they will think of a use for them.
Janet, Your belief about how a grooming tool should be used is so off the mark! A washcloth should NEVER BE USED as a way to emphasize “washing away sins”!
This sends a negative, confusing message to children in other cultures, as well as in the USA. These boxes are a reinforcement of support, love & generosity with no strings attached.
After reading the testimony of a former shoebox recipient, I have to disagree about the washcloths. A young lady stated that she had to share a towel with many other girls in her orphanage, and when she received the washcloth she felt like she was getting her own personal towel. Perhaps it differs in other cultures, but I always include a washcloth in each box.
For older girls’ boxes, we have added a small sewing kit and a few “fat quarters” of colorful fabric.
We love doing this! I do have a question about an item on your list though. What is a toboggan? Isn’t that a sled? I’m confused!
Della it is a winter hat.
I laughed at this comment, because it depends on where you live! In Minnesota, where I grew up, a toboggan is a sled. In Kentucky, where I live now, it is a hat.
So funny! I was just about to say it depends on where you grew up or where you live!
I have been packing shoeboxes for many years and make sure unsuitable things are not packed in the boxes from our church. There a few items on your list that are not allowed due to flight restrictions. They are # 3,4,5,6,27,43, & 59. The instructions on the Samaritans Purse pamphlet specify hard candy only. Hope this is helpful.
Toothpaste is on OCC’s list of acceptable items:
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Pack_A_Shoe_Box/
Until last year, toothpaste was on their list of acceptable items. Now toothpaste is no longer allowed, and neither are candy or gum. They were causing some of the shoeboxes to be held up in Customs, and apparently some boxes weren’t delivered at all because they contained those items.
Lip balm and chewing gum are also okay. I was confused, so I asked them on their FB page. They said that toothpaste, lip balm and gum are all great things to include. Hope that helps!
It depends which country you’re packing for – toothpaste and gum are NOT allowed in shoeboxes in Canada but are just fine in American shoeboxes. UK boxes also have different regulations – I remember a comment that they’re not allowed to pack homemade stuffed toys which are just fine in Canada and the States.
toothpaste not allowed in Canada shoe boxes but CRAYONS are not on their restricted list???????? not make any sense, crayons melt into huge colored dripping wax in even less heat than would take for toothpaste. there must be some other reason they really don’t allow toothpaste, e.g. chemicals in the toothpaste or who knows. in the Sonoran desert (by Mexico) gets 114-120 degrees and we cannot even leave a box of crayons in our cars for over one hour or we will have a real mess. in fact leaving crayons in even less temperatures, say 90 or 100F would be just as bad. not so with toothpaste sealed in its box and can put in a thick zip lock baggy in case the tube became punctured. however, no such instruction for crayons??????????????
(Sonoran desert Arizona – 45 minutes from Mexican border). i would assume this weather is around the same if not even hotter than the places the boxes ship.
Sharon – you listed items that aren’t allowed and I was wondering what was wrong with those? Like pencils, erasers, pencil case? Finger puppets?
Those items are on the suggested list right on the Samaritan’s Purse page.
hard candy allowed only? yet CRAYONS ARE??? this seems strange to assume that hard candy doesn’t melt?? it does and when it does it can make a sticky mess, certainly similar to some of the restricted items such as toothpaste sealed in its box and then wrapped in a sturdy zip bag. in the Sonoran desert where temps reach 114-120 even rubberbands melt! in fact, a bunch of candy or worse a box of crayons left out in the sun would turn into a mess, whereas the toothpaste in its sealed box would not, so i am not seeing the connection to hard candy being ok but toothpaste is not?????? heck, crayons would melt even from the heat and need not be in the sun to turn the entire box into a dripping wax mess. but then again i think the toothpaste restriction is listed on the CANADA and AUSTRALIAN sites, perhaps they have different shipping restrictions, but still their logic seems illogical to me.
It I possible the toothpaste is a no no is because if they swallow a large amount of it, it can be fatal. Most of the children will not be able to read English to see this warning. The minty taste could be mistaken for food for those who aren’t familiar with it.
We like to put a hammer & nails in the boxes for 10-14 year old boys.
I just read about this idea this year. It said to consider a hammer, screw driver, and other safe tools because some boys have started doing bicycle repair and other things to make money.
I love these ideas!
An update: I talked with the staff at Samaritan’s Purse to check on sending the tools. They told me that it is fine to send hammer, nails, screwdriver, and screws with these guidelines:
1. All items must be in their original packaging. Sometimes hammers and screwdrivers are not sold in packaging, so you must purchase ones that are.
2. Nails and screws must also be placed, within their original packaging, into a zipper bag. This is just a double precaution as they do not want those sharp items being loose within the box.
please can you tell me if i sent a tool kit in its original hard case if that would be considered “packaging?” or does it have to be in plastic covering? see here: http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Precision-Tools-DT9706P-39-Piece/dp/B001GXPZEQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413868383&sr=8-1&keywords=apollo+tool+set
most if not all hammers are not sold in plastic, but many come in a set in a plastic carry case that has preformed slots where each tool goes and locking clasps to hold it tight.
?????????????
this is another tool kit since i last emailed you i found this one is great. but how about this one? it has the tools in separate packages (but they are not in hard plastic, more like seal baggies, and are plased inside a zippered tool bag case. when the boy removes the tools from the packaging he can place each one to their corresponding slot inside the bag and can unzip the bag to see all tools at once.
this is my 2nd email and i am sending you another link to ask if this kind of tool set for an older boy will be ok to ship through customs?? the tools are not actually wrapped separately in plastic, however, they are assembled in a ROLL UP SOFT CASE THAT unzips and opens to a roll with all separated COMPARTMENTS FOR EACH TOOL and seals back up into a tool bag with a zipper.
click here or copy this link to see the photo. i am just unclear on whether or not customs requires it to be in PLASTIC or if this will suffice for being in its original “packaging.” ?????
http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mVvEyKVm4PBshvud6xBhi0Q.jpg
p.s. both of these tool sets are sold at Walmart for around $18 which is a great deal. I really like this one because the 14 year old boys can earn a living fixing bikes etc using these tools, this one includes the handy crescent wrench and every kind of screw driver bit he’d need. the details said that the tools are packaged inside separately in identifying packages, but they are not hard plastic, more like regular sealed poly bags.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ESSENTIALS TOOL SET SOLD BY WALMART IN STORE: http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mVvEyKVm4PBshvud6xBhi0Q.jpg
I LOVE this organization! I used the idea of filling a shoe box with goodies when I volunteered in an orphanage in Eastern Europe.
I will say i think everyone should really spend the 4-5 extra bucks on a real box with a lid. That way they can use their box and it really just shows so much more effort and care. A shoe box will be destroyed immediately but a box will last for a long time!
Megan – I completely agree! They can re-purpose them and use to carry water or their belongings if they don’t have a backpack. However, you should be able to go to a local Dollar store and grab one for just a $1. Hope that helps.
When I worked at the distribution center, I noticed that the plasic shoeboxes would sometimes be cracked and have to be replaced. If you pay 4-5 dollars for the box, it cuts drastically the number we can do. We are doing 1,000 at church and that is money that could be used to do a lot more boxes.
My daughter and I have worked at a distribution center for the last couple of years, and always feel so sad that many of the (cheaper) plastic boxes are already cracked and damaged by the time we get them. After seeing this, we’re always make sure to use STRONG shoe-boxes, then after we wrap them, we reinforce them with lots (and lots) of clear mailing tape. Yes, it takes a little longer, but it makes a wonderful, decorated box that we hope will last a long time. The more expensive plastic boxes also seem to get through the process pretty well. — What a JOY it is to work at the processing center, and to see all the love that’s been poured in those boxes. We are well aware of the prayers tucked in as well, and it’s a powerful thing! *** The boxes that have a personal note and picture included always seem that much more deeply touching, and I want to encourage others to take the time to do that! Young family members can include a drawing and short note. *** Can you imagine the joy of receiving such a personal gift and knowing that that person or family from somewhere far away around the world loves you? =] Thanks Samaritan’s purse for all you do!
Can you be more specific when you say you reinforce after you wrap? Wrap with wrapping paper and reinforce with mailing tape or do you weap again in parcel paper then reinforce? Also do you ever wrap individual gifts inside the shoe box? thanks
Hi, Stacy! I’m so sorry I didn’t see your question before now!
We wrap the shoebox with Christmas Wrapping paper, carefully folding corners, etc. so it fits tightly to the top and to the bottom (separately). Then we use clear, wide, mailing tape to cover every inch of the wrapping paper! When we are finished, corners and everything are strong, reinforced, and as waterproof and dirt-proof as we can get them. :). Some would say it was overkill, but we hope and pray it will be a beloved, handy, beautiful container for years to come!
Hope this helps still, 3 years after the fact!
Debbie, I have just heard about the shoeboxes and am preparing two for 10-14 year old boys. I just saw your suggestion for wrapping and it gave me an idea. I got plastic shoeboxes at Target on sale for .72. I am thinking of wrapping them with decorative duct tape and not using paper at all. Do you think that would work? Then I may throw the rest of the roll or a new roll into the box.
My daughter just did that this week and I think its a fabulous idea!!!
Janet T,
(Sooo sorry it took me so long to respond! Somehow your email slipped by…). At any rate, ThAnK YoU so much for filling the boxes for older boys!! That’s wonderful. Those are the boxes that are fewest and furthest between. (And I would think that may be a vulnerable age for many boys around the world, when the Love in a shoebox, and the follow up, may be most important!).
I’m honestly not sure if the duct tape would help in terms of the strength of a plastic shoebox, but it would certainly help hold it together if it cracked! I think it’s a great idea in terms of decorating any kind of box, though! You wouldn’t need to cover the lips or ends of the box even, but just decorate the straight sides and top, perhaps. I know it’s tricky to wrap the plastic boxes with paper! In the processing center, we often saw paper coming off of the plastic boxes.
One of the things that I really respect about Samaritan’s Purse, is how they honor the integrity of each box. When we did come across tattered paper, we taped it up if possible, and if it was too ragged, carefully removed it, folded the tape over to eliminate sticky edges, and carefully placed it IN the box. :). So, the carefully chosen paper someone picked out still gets to the child! …One time I came across a box in which each individual item was wrapped. Because things have to be inspected for safety reasons, we carefullllllly unwrapped each item, then folded the paper and included it in the box. In many of the places where these boxes arrive, children may never have seen pretty papers with fun designs, and even this can be a joy!
Kelly, I’m so glad your daughter enjoyed doing the clear tape wrapping! I think it makes a very special box, and certainly hope it’s been a joy to the children who’ve received our boxes! (Is it possible to add photos to these posts? If so, I could show several examples, if that would be helpful.)
We’ve tried to make boxes for older kids. A small tool kit or sewing kit is one idea, with sharpies they can decorate anything, snap together model cars, travel games, l.e.d. key chain, nail stickers, peel and stick rhinestones, fun duct tape in different colors, ribbon. I even found a great and not too expensive flashlight/radio/charger that works on solar power. They are $5.60 each plus shipping. http://www.case-parts.com/details/3-in-1-Solar-Charger-Flashlight-6-LED-FM-Radio-1500mAh-USB-FM-MCH-220/
Rachel – I really like these ideas, they are new to me and a little unique. We might even try to rearrange and fit them into our list above!
I always put the toothbrush and the hand soap in travel containers. The soap won’t smell everything up and the cases make good places to store the items in even when they reach the child’s home. Keeps them cleaner and more sanitary.
Marsha – I agree, after months in the box the soap can smell up all the other items, so I try to find a soap that is a lighter scent. Thanks for the ideas.
During a stay in Africa, several ladies thought to give scented bars of soap to the girls. They were not well received… scents do not go over very well in many areas of the world so go for the unscented soaps.
I agree. Please use unscented or lightly scented soap if possible. Dove or Ivory are great! Even after sitting for only a couple of weeks before being processed in the United States, the scent is often overwhelming at the processing centers. Please, please double bag soaps — and if you put them in freezer strength Ziploc bags, that’s even better, (and will be re-usable, too)!
Great ideas! Something else I put in is a recorder that they can learn to play. It usually comes with a finger chart.
What kind of recorder do you play that comes with a finger chart?
its a small wind instrument
Some of my favorite items for the older kids are for girls 10-14: small pots and pans and spatulas, etc. from the Dollar Tree. For boys 10-14: Soccer ball with pump. I love packing boxes for the older kids, because so often there aren’t enough 10-14 boxes and they have to get younger aged boxes. It can be a little bit tricky, but it is good to shop for items on sale/clearance all year long!
Thanks for pointing out that there are often not enough boxes for the older kids. I was in Ukraine one winter working at a Children’s camp when the kids received their boxes. The organization had ordered age appropriate boxes for the children they knew would be at camp, but there weren’t enough 10-14 year old boxes, so all the kids got boxes for 3-4 year olds. It was so sad to see the disappointment on their faces when they opened the boxes, after the excitement they had receiving them. It’s just so much easier to come up with things for younger kids, but now I try to pack boxes for the older kids.
not as fun??????? are you kidding? i found it easier and funner to buy for the older boys, specifically 14. Instead of buying a little purse and filling it full of girl things, buy a TOOL BAG and fill it full of boy things. and instead of going to regular stores GO TO HOME DEPOT, HARBOR FREIGHT, and WALMART for the clothes. it’s so much fun! of course Home Depot is the store for the tools and Walmart has cheap tool bags or Harbor Freight. but there are 4 main tools to buy:
1) TOOLS
A) STUBBY HAMMER $2. HOMEDEPOT: the”STUBBY HAMMER” is professional enough to use for a job yet easy to handle for a young teen and small for the packages; the Husky brand even have the plastic packaging covering the claw and hammerhead.
B) CRESCENT WRENCH, this is one of the best tools to have, eliminates having to have a wrench for each size, it adjust to any bolt.
C)NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS a MUST for any job, is a pliers and a wire cutter and a giant tweezer all in one. 4-in1 screw driver has phillips head on one end small and larger, and flat head small and larger on the other. Just with these 3 tools a boy can handle most repairs and even fix bikes for a job. D)screws and nails (get most common size leave in package and place in some kind of container they can spill them out into when they open them up. place inside zippered tool bag.
D) TAPE MEASURER: they have these $1 at Dollar Tree
E) TOOL BAG: MADE BY ULTRA STEEL sold at WALMART or go to HARBOR FREIGHT for $4 they have this one.
and a tool bag about $4.50 at walmart made out of strong canvas, the same bag an adult would use, to keep their tools safely they have one that zippers.
BUNGEE CHORDS: bungee chords–awesome and so many uses;
ROPE to tie things with for fun and work;
LEATHER WORK GLOVES: made by sold at WALMART $1.97 per pair, or $4.50 for 2-pack
SOCKS: size 6-9 can stretch for the bigger boys and fit the smaller boys as well.
HANES BOXER BRIEFS: package of 8 for about $9 (that’s about $1.25 per pair). boxer briefs are great cuz they are stretchy material so even a large can fit a bigger range of boys from small 12 year olds to bigger 14 year olds, I get Large in Boys and put 2 in each box or can put 1 in each box. they will just be happy to have UNDERWEAR since many don’t even own one pair.
THONGS: $1 at walmart, i get size 7-9
BACK PACK: $1 sale walmart, or $3.97 regular, this is the one i got for each older boy for $1:
HAT or BANDANA: either a ball cap or other hat
BELT: most don’t own a belt but are forced to wear clothing too big, a belt really helps!
RUNNING SHOES (aka tennis shoes). PRICE? get on sale wherever possible. a good size to get would be 7-8, if too big no problem the boy is growing and will still wear them, but we don’t want them too small. without shoes some kids cannot attend school or get a job.
DEODORANT: $1 walmart has a section for travel items in the toothpaste section of the store, there are little mini deodorants, the boys like them especially heading into puberty
TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER $1 plastic toothbrush holder (sold at walmart $1 in the same area as the travel supplies by the toothpaste isle.
$1 TOOTHPASTE sold at Dollar Tree
$1 for 2 TOOTHBRUSHES sold at Dollar Tree
COMB, and could send brush as well, but at least a comb
SWEATSHIRT: size XLARGE, smaller teen boys wear them big and if you don’t get XLarge they won’t fit a bigger boy at all $5 walmart, they have hoodies also for $19.
BEENIES & MITTEN GLOVES: $1 each at Dollar Tree
MUSIC: (A)Harmonica (B) wooden flute, (C) Drum sticks and mini practice rubber pad, don’t worry a boy need not have a real drum set to have fun, he will be playing against trees, walls, the ground, anything he can ratta-tat-tat on. $4.50 or less for both: (go to ebay or call around till you find a good price.
BAG OF LARGER RUBBER BANDS: sooooo handy and can be used to fix things and carry things in bundles
BOWL, CUP, plastic spoon & fork: Dollar tree 3 bowls for $1 small and large available, cups $1 for 7 Dollar Tree, Plastic fork & spoon set Walmart $1.
WOODEN SPOON $1 walmart
LEATHER NECKLACE FOR BOYS $3 (looks similar to leather shoe lace) , can provide a cross or a rough stone type other to put on it
RING: CHRISTIAN RINGS FOR BOYS (NOTE they need not be real gold, can find cheaper metalic silver one.
BALLS: tennis balls, soccer balls (most other countries don’t use american footballs), can deflate the ball to fit the box (balls come with a little 1.5″ deflator)
BALL PUMP: $1 Dollar Tree
……and more! just cruise on in to a home depot or a sporting goods store and let your imagination do the rest.
GARDENING Tools: home depot, walmart had a special set: a spade, weedpuller, and claw soil turner for $2 !!! had wooden handles, and the claw soil turner had little safety rubber protectors on it for shipping, really great. add some rope and work gloves and a bandana and some bungee chords and the tooth brush, deodorant and toothpaste, a cup, a bowl, and spoon and fork a pad of paper for schoolwork, a pencil box $1 with pens 12 for $1 , sharpened pencils 20 for $1, with sharpener pack of 8 for $1 at Dollar Tree, and you got one good box there with plenty left over to help fill other boxes if you want (pens, pencils, sharpeners).
ZIP TIES: OMG ! so many to choose from. so handy and can let the boy repair lots of things around the house Home Depot $2 bag
DUCT TAPE cheap kind $1 Dollar Tree store but only gives one foot of tape, or buy at Home Depot $3-$5-$7
7 QUART STERILITE box should be ok for most things 11x6x5 (approximately), but the 9-quart box will be best for any item too long. the 9 quart ones are at walmart $4.99 they are 14x8x6
WATCH: must be military time (most countries out of USA are on military time, e.g.. 6pm = 18:00). set the watch for them before sending. i have seen them thick band rubber slap on ones for $4 at OFFICE DEPOT!!
the thing with tools is this: you want to either buy the hammer packaged (most are not) OR you want to secure it in its own little box with faster, it is not true that all tools must be sealed in hard plastic. but the claw must be secured in a professional manner, such as tucked inside a box with bubble wrap with the tag from the manufacturer on it, then place all tools securely (can zip tie together etc) so they don’t shake around, can use cardboard and cut out squares to make holder. this is exactly how tool sets are sold for the men as well and ship just fine. do not just put tools into the box loose. and all should go into some zippered case, that is why the tool bag is a MUST!!
gosh, i’m having fun just typing these ideas for the older 14 year old boys. my heart just sinks knowing they will be handed a child’s gift of little plastic toys and items for a little child because i know they will feel passed over, left out and forgotten. and the sad truth is they are correct because they are being passed over all because us women don’t frequent the stores where their dream gifts await! and/or it is us women who fill the boxes!
let’s not forget our young men, they will be going on to be heads of the household and men of the community. we can help them get a start in their manhood by providing gifts for them and not children’s plastic toys!! yes they are “kids,” but they are at the age of a young man and although they will tolerate little teddy bears and children’s plastic toys, they are aching inside to be a young man.
Just like the 14 year old girls we buy them young lady things, not little child plastic toys. and i am not saying young men don’t like teddy bears, but not when that is the main gift in the box, a teddy bear is more a side item of the tools and guy stuff.
p.s. this cross on a leather necklace is $1.59 ebay with FREE shipping. it ships from hong kong so it takes 3-4 weeks to receive. i ordered 4 today and am hoping to receive by Nov 17-24 for the deadline but just in case it takes longer then i will use for next year.
Men Boy Titanium Stainless Steel Energy 2 Layers Cross Pendant & Necklace HM http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Men-Boy-Titanium-Stainless-Steel-Energy-2-Layers-Cross-Pendant-Necklace-HM-/181534560151?pt=Fashion_Jewelry&hash=item2a444d8f97
they have another one of a wing that is really awesome too! $2.99 also ships from Hong Kong.
p.s. this cross on a leather necklace is $1.59 ebay with FREE shipping. it ships from hong kong so it takes 3-4 weeks to receive. i ordered 4 today and am hoping to receive by Nov 17-24 for the deadline but just in case it takes longer then i will use for next year.
Men Boy Titanium Stainless Steel Energy 2 Layers Cross Pendant & Necklace HM http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Men-Boy-Titanium-Stainless-Steel-Energy-2-Layers-Cross-Pendant-Necklace-HM-/181534560151?pt=Fashion_Jewelry&hash=item2a444d8f97
i have ordered from there before and i usually received my items within 2 weeks.
it did occur to me that in some countries Christianity is not allowed and wearing the cross could put the young man in grave danger…hmmnnn any thoughts? maybe the wing one would be best?
This is a GREAT list! Thanks for posting.
We do this with elementary-aged kids at church, but rather than using OCC boxes, we use plastic shoeboxes (abt $1.00 each at any discount store) with flat lids. The kids can draw pictures, write Bible verses, etc. on the lids with Sharpie markers (regular markers smear). Way more fun than just a regular box!
I have had the honor of packing AND DELIVERING the shoe boxes and would make one STRONG suggestion. Although the children LOVE receiving candy and sweets, many of them are already facing dental problems. Most of the children we work with in Guatemala have very visible decay. When I assemble the boxes in the future, candy will be left behind.
In the warehouse, they instruct you that *every* box should have candy. So even if you leave it out, someone at the warehouse will put it in.
Isn’t that why we include a toothbrush and toothpaste. One little bag of candy for a child who never gets candy can hardly cause a problem.
Just thinking here, we do include candy, but if one of the children already has a lot of dental problems they may not even be able to “handle” eating it. I just know before having a tooth fixed that if I ate anything sweet, it killed me, even though I brush regularly.
Thanks for all the great ideas. Our church has been doing this for years and
its so rewarding. I’ve never done boxes for older kids but will do it this year.
Didn’t think about them being left out or having to get younger boxes.
Thanks for the info.
Last year we included a plastic cup with lid. It was the kind you could design the label yourself so my daughter drew a religious drawing to put in it.
Neat idea! I think I will add a cup to ours as well.
I’ve worked with Samaritan’s Purse at a shoe box distribution center several times and we have to sort through them and remove items that aren’t allowed.
Several thing on your list would have to be removed and the child would never receive it.
The reason things aren’t allowed are either 1. They will be removed by customs 2. They do not travel well 3. Or they are dangerous for the child to have
-screwdriver, nail clippers, sewing kit, nails, or anything metal or really hard plastic with a sharp point or blade.
– playing cards (gambling is a big problem overseas so having possession of playing cards is a risk to the child) And only typical Ace, King, Jack etc. Kid’s playing cards like go fish or old maid that have cartoon pictures, not numbers are okay.
-American money is the BIGGEST no because the child will almost definitely have it stolen from them immediately and possibly violently.
-Also always wrap the lid and box separate and the best thing is really the plastic show bow containers.
These are just things to keep the kids safe.
The kids will definitely treasure these items forever.
Wow!! Good to know, such great info and we’ll look at getting it updated asap! Thank you so much for the information.
Thank you Crystal for the clarification. I have always wondered. Our church does these all the time, I’ve never got to actually help with the sorting though. I do have a question in reference to the items that are taken out of the shoe boxes. What are done with those items? Is there somewhere locally that they are donated, etc?
Thank you!
Christina,
When an item has to be taken out because we can’t send it, it is re-gifted to local ministries. They can request a donation through the Processing Center staff. Nothing is wasted in God’s economy!
If you use plastic shoe box containers, please use some of good quality! Unfortunately, many of the plastic ones we’ve seen in the distribution centers are already badly cracked or otherwise damaged. These seem dangerous to me, as they have sharp edges, and sometimes they have to be replaced. A well wrapped sturdy shoe box (lid wrapped separately can be wonderful! (For extra strength, reinforce well with clear packing tape!) =]
Requirements differ from country to country, so what you can or can’t send depends upon which countries the distribution center is working on, and this varies from distribution center, and even that varies from day to day. Last year China wouldn’t allow any candy, so any candy in those boxes had to be removed. In our center, for our countries, last year, we were told that scissors and sewing kits were fine…
Never fear though! Boxes are kept as close to the original box as is humanly possible. I’ve been amazed at the integrity at the processing centers. Your gift will get to your child as close to the original package as it possibly can be! If something in your box doesn’t work for a specific country, it can often be added to the donations that are used to add to other boxes that may not be very full. Each child will receive a wonderful box!
we have picked up some sturdy boxes from micheal they are tuff cardboard [ used for photo storage but the size of shoe boxes but sturdy and have great designs . they don’t need to be wrapped . just look for when they have them on sale. about 1.50 each . no problem with the cracked plastic and no hassle or money wrapping them. they have great girl or boy designs young men type too. just a thought
So now I am confused, tools or no tools for the boys boxes?
Crystal.. no sewing kits? The list suggests sewing kits and ive purchased expensive ones in the past, went with mini sample sewing kits this year. and I wish I knew about the tools being packaged because nothing was said to me when id called about it at the central dist center, grrrr. Keep sharing for Canada what we can and can’t pack. I don’t want to spend money for nothing and don’t want it donated elswhere : (
The Operation Christmas child website specifically lists sewing kits, tools and playing cards as acceptable. This is an older blog and go to the website for the most up to date allowments.
These are great ideas. After volunteering in the packing line several times, I’ve made some changes in my boxes. First, the 10-14 age category is low, so I’ve made sure to make these boxes. I’ve included sewing kits, as you’ve suggested and fishing kits. I love the toolkit idea, especially as someone mentioned bike repair kits.
But the biggest need that I’ve seen is for box fillers. When an item is removed from a box we add a replacement from the filler bins. The filler’s usually aren’t that great. So, being the avid clearance shopper that I am I’ve just started collecting good toys, school items, clothing, etc that I find on clearance and save them up all through the year. When the collection starts I take the fillers to the operation warehouse to be used.
Be sure to see my update regarding tools above!
Thank you for posting these. I always wonder what to include for boys 10-14, never thought about a hammer and nails.
Buy one of the party packs of playdoh that has the small jars, put one or two in each box. Sticker books, activity books, books of paper dolls, yarn, silly putty.
I have been putting together shoeboxes since I was very little. I prep all year, collecting things for them. Here are some things I’ve found just from reading from people who have distributed them.
Things that arent so great:
1. Playdoh. Kids often don’t know what to do with it. I thought playdoh would be a great idea, I loved it as a kid, but so much of what I read is that it isn’t the best idea.
2. Stuffed animals. Not always the best idea for the younger kids. In some countries animals are associated with death or evil, so it can be very frightening for the child to receive a stuffed animal.
3. Stickers or temporary tattoos, kids don’t have anywhere to stick the stickers, and often the pictures don’t make any sense to their world. For example, puppy stickers wouldn’t make much sense in a Muslim country because dogs are considered unclean in Islam
4. Gloves, winter hats, scarfs, etc… you have no way of knowing where your box may end up. It could end up somewhere where it would never get used.
Now I have come across some really good ideas and those are:
1. A soap holder. In the desert when a kid is showering in the dirt, the bar of soap is much better off sitting in a tray rather than on the ground.
2. For a girl, a doll with light brown skin and either plastic hard hair or no hair. Doll hair gets matted very easily.
3. For a boy, trucks, airplanes, cars with larger wheels. Matchbox cars are not as good in the dirt.
4. Dishes! Plastic plates, bowls, utensils, cups, etc… These are all great.
5. Shower curtain or plastic table cloth. These come very handy to stand on when showering or eating. Makes things a little less dirty.
Hope this is helpful.
Great, thanks for the ideas!
All great ideas! I also put bedroom slippers in mine.
Great ideas! Our family as well as our Sunday School class does the boxes. Just a couple of suggestions. No play dough. It is not familiar to them and they often try to eat it so Samaritan’s Purse asks it not be included. Also the plastic boxes are great and you can put a piece of Christmas fabric in the box in place of wrapping paper. This gives them the fabric also.
I think this is an awesome idea….however we are stationed over seas. Is there a way someone like us can send boxes out to these children? I know a bunch of families that would love to participate in something like this. Please let me know so I can get the word out. Thanks a bunch! God Bless!
You can build a box online at their website.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/giving/buildabox/
Overseas where? Other countries have similar initiatives – the one in my country is called Santa Shoebox (www.santashoebox.co.za).
what about healthy snacks.raisens, granola bars, etc
Perishable items are not allowed.
I’ve made my box for a girl 10-14! I’m quite proud of it and hope these ideas will help!
-sweet tarts, starburts
-toothbrush, toothpaste
-loofa, soap
-wet-wipes
-q-tips
-stickers
-sharpies
-notebook
-socks
-barrettes, clips, hair ties
-comb
-lip balm
-deodorant
I think I may I go get some wash cloths (someone posted that people in other countries dont use wash cloths but I’ve found that to be untrue) and cooking tools
As Volunteer Coordinator for Eastern Canada – I was very happy to find this comprehensive list. There are two items on the list that can not be sent from Canada, though, gum and toothpaste. The only gum we will allow is the kind on a stick, completely encased in hard candy. The toothpaste is a “Customs” thing…
I would like to forward this list to our head office in Calgary, Alberta in order for it to be posted on the http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/occ website. Do you know how I would go about getting permission to post this list? Also, I have it “pinned” on my Pinterest account under “Making A Difference” – I hope that this is okay, since I see you have “Pin It” button at the top of this page.
Blessings,
Bev W.
perhaps in CANADA where it is very cold they have not figured out that crayons (which are not on their rejected list) melt easier and are even make more a mess than toothpaste. here in Sonoran desert where it is 114-120 degrees and normal temp for even winter is in the 90s, i just have to assume there is a discrepancy somewhere!! cuz crayons melt at even less temperature than toothpaste would ever. i can leave my toothpaste in my car on a hot summer day, inside my car the temp can reach easy 120 PLUS. although i would not want to open the tube while hot (must wait till it cools down) the tube would be fine. however, crayons or even HARD CANDY would be a sticky nightmare of a mess and in less time to boot! perhaps Canada cannot imagine what boiling hot weather is so they are just going by what they assume, rather than the facts. just like here in Sonoran desert we flip out when the tip drops to 70 degrees farenheit (like in January), we complain we are FREEZING. our average temp all year long here is about 85-90 degrees even know in October!! just sayin’ !
Wow, what a sarcastic post. Toothpaste was eliminated from the list of allowed items the year that there was a scandal about toothpaste that had toxic ingredients being imported from other countries. It has nothing to do with melting. Here in Canada, if an organization that has years of experience distributing these boxes lists hard candy and crayons as suggested items, we assume that they know what they are doing and don’t need to imply that they are too stupid to understand how hot weather works. I have been doing boxes for years, and I was browsing around to see if there were any ideas to make my boxes even better. Did not expect a dose of hatefulness for my troubles.
I found a 6′ X 8′ tarp at Menards the other day for $1.25. True, it isn’t heavy duty but wouldn’t it be a good thing to include? It could be used on the ground to provide a dry sleeping area, put up on poles for shade, used to cover things to keep them dry, etc. The uses seem endless I already have my boxes packed so unless I remove something, I won’t send them this year. Just wondering what other people think of this idea. I enclosed a spoon, covered bowl and drinking glass in each box. The small bowl is filled with candy, and each glass has a pair of socks rolled up in it. This is the first year I’ve done this, and I will definitely be shopping year around for things now!! What a blessing to give to someone in so much need.
I think the tarp is a fabulous idea!!!
Anything breakable cannot be sent (glass, pottery, porcelain), but if your drinking glass is plastic, that sounds great!
I think the tarp sounds like an incredible idea! =]
Another suggestion. I can’t remember if I wrote this somewhere, but what good are plastic utensils. They won’t last, will get broken and someone may be hurt with them. I got metal spoons at the dollar store, 2 for $1.00 and also used some mismatched ones I had here. They will last and last and can be used for other things, too. Seems like a much better idea to me.
Mosquito nets would also be a great idea. I forgot to look for that today .. great list ideas everyone
FYI I called samaritans purse and found out that depending on what site you are on the lists may be different. That is probally why the toothpaste debate arose. Toothpaste is allowed in the US. The australia/new zealand site lists it as not allowed. You can check to see if you are on the right page by looking in the upper right corner. It will list the phone numbers for those countries.Also the cost per box is $7 in the US and $9 in aust./NZ.
Toothpaste is NOT allowed in Canadian shoe boxes, either. It has to do with Customs regulations – it is my understanding that some of our shipments go through the U.S. to be shipped from Miami and the U.S. Customs will not allow toothpaste coming from Canada, and then again some of the receiving countries have Custom Regulations that forbid toothpaste.
THANK YOU for clarifying the toothpaste thing being for shipments coming directly from Canada and not for items being shipped from USA. oh, i read that Australia has similar restrictions on the toothpaste as Canada as well. Both give reasons as to them “leaking,” but i know it must be other reasons, since both Canada and Australia readily allow CRAYONS which melt at almost any sunny temperature and make the worst mess of dripping colored wax that you cannot clean up, whereas toothpaste would have to be actually punctured or someone slamming their foot down and smashing the entire box to cause a problem. Crayons should immediately be on the list to make sure to put in a freezer zip lock bag, even doubled. since i live in even hotter weather than where our shipments are going, we didn’t even consider to put crayons in our boxes. but we put toothpaste in sealed packages and in zip lock baggies.
BIBLE! I understand they might not be able to read it depending where it’s sent but there’s a possibility that someone around them could. And what an excellent way to share the word of God!
They already get a Bible booklet in their language when Samaritan’s Purse deliver the boxes
They are then invited to a follow-up course to learn more about God if they want.
I put in classic novels sometimes for them to practise reading like willow in the wind and bible type stories with pictures for younger kis. For candy I usually get the good stuff that’s also sugar free and suckers on a stick from candy boutique. If Id never received a gift itd be nice to receive candy that was a better quality, just less of it
Hi I’ve been reading about this for a while I did it in primary school every year and now my secondary school is doing it I’m just wondering what would be good for an older girl specifically, would things like deodorant and facewipes be OK?p.s.I’m in British so I’m allowed toothpaste
I was thinking that for the older girls maybe some pretty cloth menstrual pads might be nice and very helpful. Also you can find thin roll-able backpacks in the camping gear and that could be really nice and helpful too.
Thank you for making this list! It’s so helpful in planning what to buy. Although, I don’t think I would include balloons on the list, or at least, only buy them for 10-14 year olds. When I was in college, one of my professors told us about a time a child had a balloon in the classroom and sucked in to blow up the balloon, but instead, he sucked the balloon down his throat. So scary!
Fabulous post, Kelly. Great ideas, and some good insight from your readers. I’ve linked it up to our Take Six FB page.
Thank you!
Haven;t had time to read all the posts, so sorry if I duplicate. For older girls, you might consider a yard of fabric, denim or cotton, that could be fashioned into a scarf, skirt, or even part of a quilt. I think flip flops in bright colors would be great, For smaller girls or boys, large wooden beads with shoe strings to string them on. I would think baby boxes of diapers, rattles, soft stuffed animals, baby wipes, and pacifiers would be very welcome. All teens could use ball point pens, spiral notebooks, colored pencils, playing cards, markers, simple wood and leather necklaces and bandanas that could be used as scarf, head covering, wash rag, handkerchief and even a blouse would be handy. Sanitary pads, the adhesive kind would make sense too, though I am unsure of the rules. Self drying/hardening modeling clay would also be nice for many age groups
Lovelovelove this post!! I’ve been packing shoeboxes since I was six (i’m fifteen now!). I always pack shoeboxes with my brother and my grandma and it’s become an awesome holiday tradition!Last year we packed four shoeboxes and this year we’re trying to pack one for each age group and gender (so 6 all together!). I love the tool idea, and i love the idea of wrapping the plastic boxes in tape. I always make sure to pack some pads in the 10-14 year old girl boxes, becaue I can’t imagine having to go without them-how upsetting! even if they don’t have it yet, an older family member may benefit. the things i usually include are:
-soap, mini toothbrush in a travel case, toothpaste
-“magic” washcloth (put in water and it expands)
-jewelry like bracelets or necklaces
-STUFFED ANIMALS! every kid should have something cuddly to snuggle with at night)
-paddle balls, kaleidoscopes (sp?), harmonicas, frisbees, bouncy balls, marbles
-lots of socks (usually like four pairs per box. we line the bottom of the box with them and they hardly take up any space!), sometimes a pair of flip flops, tee shirt, baseball hat
-lots and lots of hard candy (double bagged!)
-chapstick (at the dollar section in target they usually have christmas lip balms, with trees, candy canes or rudolph on the package. i always think thats a nice touch)
-lots of school supplies! pencils and sharpeners, pens, mini pads of construction paper, mini legal notepads, crayons, markers, colored pencils
-stickers
-a note and a picture of my family and me
we repack the boxes like 20 times to maximize the space and i love every minute of it!!! i’m definitely going to be on the lookout for toolds, blankets, bags and sewing kits this year!! thanks for all the great ideas and God bless everyone! merry early christmas!!!
Great ideas Lynn. The plastic boxes are a great idea but wrapping them in tons of tape is not. When the boxes arrive at the processing center warehouse, they are inspected by volunteers. Each box is opened, and checked for items that can’t go. In Canada we can not let shampoo, conditioner, lip gloss, soft candies, toothpaste, war-related items, etc. Therefore, the tape just becomes a messy, sticky tangle. A better option would be cotton string or twine (because this can be re-used by the child/family).
I like the idea of pads for the10-14 year old girls,and cloth pads would be an excellent gift, since they can be washed/boiled to be used over and over again…
The magic washcloth is an excellent idea…it takes up so little space in the box!
A note and photo is always really appreciated by the receiving child/family.
I actually meant wrapping just the outside of the boxes in a layer of tape, just so it won’t crack as easily. I definitely don’t want to wrap the whole thing because as you said that would be a lot of extra work and mess! i love the reusable cloth pad idea, i’ll have to look for those!
Thanks for clarifying…that’s an excellent idea to fortify the plasic boxes.
I’ve been meaning to look on the Internet to see if there is a supplier for the cloth pads or if there is a pattern for making them…I don’t imagine they would be too hard to make, do you?
There are TONS and cloth pads are great! A quick Google search will pop up lots of websites, or check Etsy. There are a lot of health benefits besides just economy, too.
Thanks so much for this list! You’ve given me some wonderful ideas. This is my first year putting a box together…I’ve already picked up enough items to fill a second box, but it is such a blessing to be able to give! Prayerfully, my church is going to do something like this locally this year as well!
Water bottles seem to be another great thing to pack in the shoe boxes. I like to get the water bottle and then fill it with pens, pencils, roll up some loose leaf paper, any anything else that I can add to it. This way, I get to maximize my space and the child will have a bottle to use to carry water.
Headlamps and flashlights for late-night reading, adventures, power outages… ALL kids love flashlights!!
Erin, what a great idea! Never thought of that!!
I had a question: for candy, are starbursts and tootsie rolls allowed (in the US)? because I have heard that they are, and then i heard that they aren’t. I don’t think they melt, but they aren’t exactly hard candy……please help i’m confused!
I have packed a box for the first time this year and LOVE this list. I included a flashlight in each box with 2 extra sets of batteries. I haven’t seen anyone mention batteries in the replies but seen mention of solar powered items. Should I look for a hand crank light instead? Also i included a nerf American football that has a nerf arrow looking end for throwing. My husband seems to think they might not know what it is. So I’m curious if I should go for another toy?
Any help and suggestions on these items would be great. This was such a huge blessing to me to think about how these boxes will be received. Also I love the hard plastic box idea. I will be collecting these this year!
The batteries should be fine, but a hand crank would probably last longer. They are both good ideas though, so its really up to what you want to give.
Also, the football is good too. They may not know what it is at first, but they will probably figure out that it is a ball/toy of some sort. I’m sure that they would enjoy it however they use it.
I absolutely love the plastic box idea too! I have a hard time trusting the cardboard ones they give you, and the plastic boxes are so much bigger!
I HAVE A QUESTION! I am almost done with my boxes and a few things I packed had an original packaging that was so bulky I removed it. The items are new and unused but I just hated to waste my precious space by sending all that ugly packaging. Will my items still be accepted?
Thanks
Hillery
Yes! I do that too Hillary. I hate to waste space with packaging!!
i started adding a cloth reusable shopping bag. they fold down small and i use it to line the box…
If I were to include a water bottle with a filter, is there someone who would show the recipient (an older child) how it could be used? I’d like to include one, but don’t want to waste the exta cost if there is no one to show them what it is for and how it is used. Many thanks!
My understanding is that there is a team with every single drop, so yes, there will be someone there to help them!
A note for those sending them from Canada: The customs regulations are different and we’re not allowed to send things like toothpaste etc. Check the Canadian website for a list of items not allowed.
Not seeing any mention of play dough. Did I miss it? Is it too “melty?”
Play dough is mentioned here, but not recommended, as many kids don’t know what it is and some try to eat it!
My family has been filling boxes for about 4 years and we look forward to it each year. I am thankful for everyone’s suggestions, questions and clarifications because it will come in handy as we assemble boxes this season. I really like how people have mentioned HOW they are packing items so that they fit more things into the boxes. I always seem to fill the boxes up and feel as if the child deserves so much more. Thank you for including simple ideas for packing more items!
Pack a tote bag in the shoebox, Easier to carry the things home and if the box is damaged, they still have something to put their things in….and it will be re-used over and over.
Love that idea!!! I’ll have to remember that for this year.
Last year was our first year packing and needless to say, I am soooo hooked!!!!!! I did a small bag last year, but did not think about it for this reason. I read somewhere else earlier this year about doing it for this purpose.
I was so excited to find a great space saving idea at Joanns Fabrics and I am sure other places should have them too. So everyone keep your eyes open for next year.
It is a very small zipper case, that when you unzip it, folds out into a large tote bag with handles, a very nice size. The two sizes surprised me. I can’t remember what they are, but when I check, I will post a reply here so you will know more what you are looking for. It cost me $2.50, which I did not think was bad because of it allowing me to pack it in a small space. It does not have a drawstring as some suggest, but I thought an older girl (which this is for) would like it. And it is going to be so much easier to pack in.
Anyone have a resource for a packaged hammer? This is our first year packing. This site has been tremendously helpful! Thank you!! A note to others: I found small bowls at Walmart with screw on lids and in the lid is a fold -up spoon. &1.48!! I plan to fill it up with items to maximize space.
I found a small hammer today in a completely sealed package with a screwdriver that has multiple bits for only $5 at Big Lots!! I prayed and prayed I would find one in time!
I am really glad I found this when I did! Just in time!
I decided to do two boxes, one for a boy and one for a girl. I was able to find some nice shoes on clearance for only $3 and $6 but I’m having trouble deciding what age group they should be in. I have a toddlers size 6 1/2 and a women’s size 5 1/2. Any suggestions?
Toddlers 6.5 would definitely be age 2-4 (maybe even age 1) and the women’s 5.5 would be 10-14.
Is it ok to remove toothpaste from its carton and put it in a ziplock bag? I’m trying to make more space for more items. (I’m in the U.S.)
Yep, it’s fine. Probably better actually. If the toothpaste busts during shipping, it will be better contained in the ziploc bag.
I was cruising the dollar store yesterday for shoe-box items and in the outdoors/camping section they had rain ponchos. I thought that was a good idea so I thought I’d share. Also, they had a section with left-over Canada day items, so I got some pencils with Canadian flags on them, a lttle token from my country!
I picked up some Melissa and Doug colored chalk for my box the other day, but I don’t see chalk on the list. Is it a bad idea? I can get colored pencils instead and keep the chalk for my kids. It’s nice though, and if it’s okay I’d like to send it. Also, is a transformer toy okay for the 5-9 boys or is that considered war-like? Sorry, this is my first time doing this so I don’t want to make a lot of extra work for anyone. Thanks for any help!!
The chalk and transformer toy will be perfect. They do take out the war-like toys (tanks, real-looking toy guns, etc.), but the transformer should be fine.
Don’t worry too much about making a mistake in your box, because there are people whose only job is to find and correct mistakes (that was my job when I volunteered to help pack the boxes
). It takes maybe two seconds to correct a mistake, so there is hardly any extra work.
Have fun packing!
This is my first year and I’ve completed 4 boxes for the 2-4 age group. I buy a ton of items on clearance and I love making cool loot bags for my kids birthdays. Many of these items I have extra on hand. Also my children are blessed with a lot of toys and clothes do I had them help me.
Crayons, pencils, sharpener, ruler, note pad, coloring book, lots of stickers, tooth brush, tooth paste, wooden train whistle, punch balloon, balloons, inflateable ball, bouncy ball, chattering teeth toy, bar of ivory soap, doctors kit, book, dollar backpack I found at the dollar tree…great “sack” I used at one of my sons birthday, play doh and finger puppets (got from drs office) oh and some character bandaids, comb. I have a lot of bandaids both genders.
Girls- hair clips, flower clips and headbands, cute tutu purses I made for my daughters 3rd bday, new socks and panties, t shirt, small butterfly that you can strap to your back
Boy – socks, underwear, shorts, Tshirt, hot wheels car, light up (spin)top, mask…the ones over the eyes,
I’m glad I read about they deck of cards I will remove and find a replacement.
Since I have so many extra knick knacks, the only things I had to go out and purchase are combs, pencil sharpeners and little note pads.
Just wondering if most of the older kids can read English. I was wanting to send a letter and maybe explain a few of the items I sent but I’m not sure if they could read it?
Jessica, it is my understanding that there are English speaking missionaries are other workers there that would be able to translate. They do ask that we include a letter telling about ourselves, etc to the child, including your name, address, maybe email address and a photo if you have one. Sometimes, not a lot, but sometimes the children do write back. Hope this helps.
Also, I think on the above list there is a link to tips for letter writing, you might want to look at that.
I was surprised to read that you delivered boxes to Ecador last year…that’s where my boxes went! One of the gentlemen in the group took pictures and sent me a CD. I was so excited to get the CD and brought to tears!!! I’ve decided that delivering the boxes is on my “bucket list!”
I love this list. We are doing three boxes this year. Last year, I felt we couldn’t afford it. This year, I am ashamed to find that from just our small stock of school supplies and toiletries purchased on sale for later use, I was able to nearly fill all three boxes. I should have done three last year. Thanks for the kickstarter for my imagination and my attitude!!!
I found you on Pinterest and I have shared on facebook and twitter.
Love the creative printer friendly idea list…a little more elaborate than the usual. I pick up items all year around and then it’s easy to put the boxes together when November comes around!!
This will be my first year doing this and we have decided to do 2 boxes (one for a boy and one for a girl) ages 10-14. I read that they remove sewing kits for saftey reasons. If i took out the needles would it still be removed and would it still be of use to them? Do scissors get removed too?
Also, does anyone know of anything that the children really need or want? I’ve seen some great ideas on here but i know it varies with different countries.
For next year, just in case some may not think about it, when buying toothpaste for younger children buy the children’s toothpaste if you can. I’m sure they are extremely happy with anything we send to them, but I always think of my great niece when she was about 4. She got hold of some regular toothpaste and it burned her mouth, so after that we have always tried to make sure and keep children’s toothpaste at our house knowing they would be in and out.
We put in a few postcards of the animals that are native to our country/province/….we send ones of bears, moose, beavers, squirrels, elk, caribou, etc…..whistles, harmonicas, and maracas are usually in our boxes as well!
fyi….my auntie and uncle applied and were able to go to deliver boxes in south america….it was awesome…all boxes are gone thru before they are shipped….if some are sparse, they add to them….if some are really full, they never take stuff out except for safety reasons…mirrors, sharp things, etc….
Thank you very much for these ideas. I love making shoe boxes for OCC, and it is great to have some new ideas. I just want to point out to your readers that the candy shouldn’t contain chocolate, the soaps shouldn’t be liquid (bar soap is best), and any kinds of toys shouldn’t have “military” style decorations (just trying to save you guys from wasting money on something that the child won’t get). I have volunteered with OCC for the last two years, and in about a third of the boxes I checked there was an item that we would have to throw away because it wouldn’t survive shipping.
I will definitely enjoy packing my box this year. thank you for all the great ideas!
Hi Caelie:
At Operation Christmas Child (Canada) we do not throw away any items – the things that cannot be sent are put into bins, taken to the Charitiies area and sorted according to product. We have local charities that apply to receive the itmes that cannot go due to Customs Regulations. So our local charities receive the goods that can’t be sent overseas…and nothing gets wasted or thrown away.
Something that people tend to forget about for the 10-14 year old girls… periods…
They are at the age where they start to get them and in many parts of the world where OCC boxes go, a girl misses that week of school. So something to add may be these or another brand – https://www.kellyscloset.com/Knickernappies-Stackable-Menstrual-Pads_p_3545.html
(Not an affiliate link)
I know they are kind of expensive of OCC but they would make a HUGE differance in that girls life. instead of 3 weeks of school a month she gets to go to all of them and doesnt fall behind and gets a better education. Something you may want to add to the list
That is a great idea! we tried to do more 10-14 boxes this year since there aren’t as many and I’ll add this to our list for next year! Thanks so much for sharing it.
I looked up the reusable menstrual cloths but if I ordered them on-line I wouldn’t get them on time–also they are kind of expensive. I remember my grandmother telling me that sometimes during the Great Depression that they had to use wash cloths for their periods. I read a lot of posts of people dismissing a wash cloth because the kids don’t use them to wash with, but would a stack of good quality ones help some of these girls with their periods? I did a search on women in third world countries and many do not have access to anything disposable and some girls miss school for a week because of their periods. Are their any good ideas to help these girls?
Great list! For future reference, typically no liquids can go through. This includes toothpaste, wet wipes and lip balm. If you put it in, when they check the boxes at the processing warehouse it will be taken out and donated to local approved charities. Gum is a no too. Rules change from year to year but from my experience these items have never been approved.
I put in some items never added before…rubber bands, paper clips, clothes line and clothes pins. The line and pins can help rest of family and neighbors.
Why do you assume that only girls cook and only boys use tools? My sons cook, and my daughter uses tools, and vice versa.
If you want the real scoop on what’s permitted or not, go to the source:
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Pack_A_Shoe_Box/
just fyi guys, i’ve heard that if you want to add a few more cheap things to the boxes, just plain rubber bands are appreciated by the kids. they always find uses for them and they have fun just playing with them sometimes! just goes to show how kids can find joy in any thing, even small things
Lynn, I have heard the same thing about rubber bands. When I asked my son what he would like to receive if he were the one getting a shoebox, that was one of the items he mentioned. We also put in binder clips and Scotch tape. Both useful, and kids can find amazing things to do with them.
I found mini desk sets for $2.00 at Michaels recently – little canisters that contain a tiny stapler, staples, highlighter, tape and scissors. They also had small bobbin-style rolls of ribbon for under 50 cents. On eBay, I found collapsible water bottles – good way to include a water bottle without taking up a ton of space.
I have on hand a few small, flat, glass hearts (maybe 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches across). I know they usually don’t allow glass items, but since they are so chunky it seems like they would be hard to break. Would those be likely to get removed in processing?
I live in Australia, I want to get involved, where? How? Who?
I recently started an open facebook group, “Operation Christmas Child Through the Year,” in order to share such ideas, craft ideas, sales, etc. I’d love for you or you readers to join. Anything you can do to promote it will be so loving.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/419399688113630/?fref=ts
I’m going to post the link to this list there more than once through the year.
Love it!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the printable list! I will be keeping it in my purse!!!!
I would strongly discourage plastic eating utensils. How many uses would they get out of them before they break and then what good are they? I picked up metal spoons at the dollar store – 2/$1.00. They can use them for a long time and make much more sense. They can be found at rummage sales and thrift stores, as well.
I would also suggest that a small tarp from Menards would be a good item to send. It can be used as protection from sun or rain, to cover possessions, to cover the ground where they sit or sleep. I got some for $1.25 last year – roll them up and they don’t take much space. Just an idea.
Our church started collecting items together all year long. Last year was our first year. We collected 264 boxes. Each month I set aside particular items that we will be collecting for that month. Then in October, we have a wrapping day and everyone comes to help wrap the shoeboxes in Christmas paper. Then in November, we have a church wide packing party. Everyone had so much fun last year and we are looking forward to this years collections to send. We also take up a love offering to help with the shipping/handling. I sew drawstring bags so I have some ladies in the church who are going to help me make up a supply of these to place in each box so that they can carry their items in. Something I did not see mentioned or I may have over looked is DO NOT INCLUDE WAR RELATED ITEMS……
Hi! My name is Lydia Labrosse the mother of Rico Espaon who just received a shoe box from Madison, Dayton and Braydon from Madison Moore, 2230 Glenshire Ct, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 271227, USA.
We are both very happy upon receiving this shoe box and would like to keep in contact with them.
Please send ur your e mail adress.
Lots of love..
Hi there to all, the contents present at this site are genuinely amazing for people experience, well, keep up
the nice work fellows.
We always try and find new thing that will be good for older boys, because they are not the most popular boxes to fill. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is no- battery radios (you know the kind you crank?) and flashlights. And protractors and compass’ for school….great ideas here – thanks everyone!
Oh, love those ideas!
How can I get started on this? I would love to start doing this but have no idea how to get started and where to send boxes to. Any help is appreciated!! Thank you in advance
Kate, I’m so glad that you want to get started with OCC! Check out my post about Getting Started with Operation Christmas Child and let me know if you have any other questions!
Where can I find addresses where to send my box? Thank you.
Click on this link for information on that.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/drop-off-locations/
I would like to know if the hammer is allowed and maybe pair plywrs any other kind of tool and is the sewing kit allowed and blow up balls and the sting bags for carrying things on there back? Thanks
Per the site info you can send tools but they must have an original packaging on it. This might be hard as oftentimes there is no packaging on hammers. I found at the dollar stores they usually have little tools that have some sort of packaging on it. Also seeing kits are great to send. You can get a nice little kit for $1 at the dollar stores.
What do you think of putting Postage stamps along with paper, a pencil, and an envelope, and your adress for them to write back?
You would need to have the global stamps and even then depending on where it goes they might not understand what to do with it or might think they are just stickers. The global stamp is $1.10 each or $11 for a book of 10.
Last year my Sunday School class did boxes for teen boys. Is this group still the group that gets the fewest boxes?
My son is 8 and loves camo. So I was wondering in I added a small camo bear to my boy boxes would they be acceptable?
I always try to include a plastic water bottle. We then put pens, pencils, paper, erasers, markers, anything we can in the water bottle. So often they have no way to transport clean water and this gives them a vessel to carry it. Plus by filling it with items you are maximizing your space in the box.
Another item I like to include are those little sling bag backpacks. It’s county fair time here and there are so many booths giving away stuff that can be used for shoe boxes. Sling bags, pencils, note pads, coloring sheets, pens, water bottles, stickers, etc…
Where do I send my shoe box? What address?
Hi Crystal,
The address plus information on other ways to get the shoe box where it needs to be is in this post: Where Do I Take My Shoebox? Thanks for being part of this ministry!
Another idea…a world map! They’re FREE at AAA if you are a member and they are flat and compact so you can tuck it in on the side or lay it flat on the bottom. Or if you know where the box is going, include a map of the continent they live in. Every child should have a world map so they can see what is out there.
Also, cross-stitch threads for making friendship bracelets. They are super cheap at craft stores. Make one to send with the threads, not only will they get a special bracelet from you, they’ll hopefully understand what the threads are for.
I had a friend that worked in Africa when they were passing out the boxes and she said they always hoped for socks as something to protect their feet. I also found that scholastic book fairs are great for find small items that are very inexpensive. Last year they had solar calculators that smelled and were designed to look like a chocolate bar for a couple bucks. I also like the idea of cutting paper down to fit in box to make tablets the kids can use.
I added clothes line and clothes pins last year. This way they can help their family and/or their village. This year we’re adding shoes, bowls, and spoons. Also, got the Ladies Group at our group interested in packing boxes as well. We are going to rally rest of congregation to donate supplies.
Thanks for the OCC Shoebox list! Shared with our church’s Facebook account and email list-serv.: https://www.facebook.com/pages/FBC-Prestonsburg-Irene-Cole-Memorial/458474450911776#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=507208339371720&id=458474450911776
Lee
We include those shrink wrapped washcloths from the dollar store. They take up less space and my kids love watching them expand the first time.
I have had some new unclothed doll give to me.I have made clothes for them would they be acceptable?
Sure! If it’s a new doll, the home made clothes are a wonderful personal touch!
Hey! These are terrific shoebox ideas! For another great shoebox idea, how about Cuddleuppets, the wonderfully soft, snuggly, and fun “pets” for kids! Check them out here: http://www.handi-dandi-crafts.com/
Franklin Graham’s Operation Christmas Child Ships Over 60,000 Shoe Boxes to Philippines; Nonprofit Collects 9.8 Million Total.
i buy big bags of beads and divide then up and put them in individual ziplock bags with a piece of bead string for the girls to make their own bracelet and necklace. i use a michales or a joann’s 50 % off coupon (they are accepted at each other’s stores). also i buy books of stickers at michaels for $1 (some have 350= stickers, some have 600, ect) and then divide up the stickers among various boxes. i also buy craft kits at michals where the kits make 24 itmes and then divide them up into ziplock bags for each box. i usually do 20 boxes and shop after holiday clearance sales for great deals. michaels often has bins of cool stuff for .25 c at various times of the year (not necessarily after a holiday). they have jumpropes, journals, paper pads, pencils, packs of playing cards, pencil pouches, compact mirrors, key chains, puzzles, necklaces, bracelets, toy rings, temporary tattoos for kids, small balls, crayons, headbands and tons of other cool stuff…all for .25 cents!!! i shop year round. also at state fairs they give away tote bags from the news stations and these are great to include.
tote bags from state fair giveaways are great to include
My comment is that you should be very careful when buying items at a dollar store. The boxes will go a long way, at great expense, and are eagerly anticipated by the children. Most items at dollar stores are of poor quality and will not last very long. Think about it! I want the items I buy to last awhile! A hammer or other tool from a dollar store would likely break very quickly and disappoint the child, or worse, be dangerous.
I appreciate reading all the suggestions, not just what to pack but what not to pack. I plan to focus on the 10-14 age group from now on. Someone mentioned that in some places, they would appreciate bowls, cups, etc. I did some poking around online and have ordered some items to check out. The first is an unbreakable spoon and fork; the other is a sturdy mug with a nice handle. The mug maker (Cambro) also has some nice bowls I am going to check out. I look for value but especially look for quality when filling the boxes.
http://www.hikelight.com/polycarbonate-spoon-fork.html
http://www.katom.com/144-75CW401.html?zmam=29342707&zmas=1&zmac=32&zmap=144-75CW401&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=Adword&utm_campaign=CSE&CID=pla&kw={keyword}&gclid=CMXJrMHD1LsCFe3m7AodjBkAEw
Thank you for all the suggestions. I have always done the boxes that matched my own kids ages. As they got older I missed a few years, but started up this year doing a girl and a boy box for the 10 to 14 year old group. I wished I had found this site last year. I agree with Kathryn. I like a to get a good price for what I put in the boxes, but I am a big one on quality as I thing the older kids will use what we give them well into their teens.
Can you use the travel size soap from bath an body if you put it in a plastic baggy? During the holiday they have great sales and would be perfect.
Another good thing to add is duct tape. I wrapped a box with green duct tape to give it a redneck touch. The ladies group got a good laugh. Going to start wrapping just the lids on the plastic shoe boxes next year since it’s a pain to wrap them with paper. Been hitting clearance sales for seasonal toys to put in the boxes. Even found candy with a very long expiration date as well. Going to try and sew some simple dolls and teddy bears too.
Question about the scarfs for girls, should they be cloth/cotton only or can they be silky type material?
Also, they like getting t-shirts or cute skirts for the girls!
Chicago Bulls design custom NBA jerseys
The older girls could use washcloths for their periods. I include 2-3 inexpensive ones, folded & put in panties to make a point. Walmart has washcloths – 18 for $4.00 or about .22-.23 each. I launder them first, & they still look new; this way a girl should be able to use them without skin irritation. If they don’t like them, it’s not a big loss. Also, my dentist has gladly donated youth size toothbrushes & paste for the last few years. There are enough to share with other packers, and some go to a children’s home.
The older girls could use washcloths for their periods. I include 2-3 inexpensive ones, folded & put in panties to make a point. Walmart has washcloths – 18 for $4.00 or about .22-.23 each. I launder them first, & they still look new; this way a girl should be able to use them without skin irritation. If they don’t like them, it’s not a big loss., but my guess is that they will be used for something.
Some good ideas. Make sure to check with the OCC division in your country to see what is permitted. For example, toothpaste is recommended in the US but prohibited in Canada. I always use the biggest shoe boxes I can find, and buy year-round to get the best deals on things. Easter clearance is great for stuffed animals, back-to-school sales for school supplies, and Halloween candy lets you buy in bulk and divided it among multiple boxes, you can save the nicer toothbrushes from Dentist offices, etc. I like to shop at Big Lots for the toiletries, because its even cheaper there than at Dollar Stores. These are my boxes for this year:
Girl (5-8): toothbrush & toothpaste, soap (in box, and bagged), hairbrush, set of hairclips, hair ties, barrettes, etc., washcloth, chap stick, stuffed bunny, 2 mini dolls from Walmart, bouncy balls set, jump rope, flip flops ($.45 at a store’s opening sale!), coloring book, pad of heavyweight paper, watercolors, crayons, pencils, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, airhead candy, blow pops, double bubble gum, and mints.
Girl (10-14): toothbrush & toothpaste, soap (in box, and bagged), hairbrush, hair ties, glitter bobby pins, comb, washcloth, deodorant (bagged), chap stick, spiral notebook, pencils, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, solar calculator, stuffed elephant pencil pouch, rubber band bracelet kit (with picture instructions), extra rubber bands, yo-yo, Pez dispenser and Pez candy, airhead candy, blow pops, double bubble gum, and mints.
Boy (10-14): toothbrush & toothpaste, soap (in box, and bagged), comb, washcloth, deodorant (bagged), spiral notebook, pencils, pencil sharpener, solar calculator, sunglasses, size 4 deflated soccer ball (because the size 5 just wasn’t going to fit), soccer ball pump, airhead candy, blow pops, double bubble gum, and mints.
I hope that helped someone! Some of my other favorite toys are: paddle ball, jacks, marbles, mini jenga, mini checkers, mini connect 4, hot wheels with track, mini magnetic train cars, harmonicas, kazoos, set of plastic farm animals/dinosaurs, small puzzles, etch-a-sketch, Barbies (out of the box–they’re too long otherwise), baby dolls, play tea set, littlest pet shops, small Lego sets, costume jewelry, plastic tiara, Frisbees (they fit on an angle!), deflated kick balls, play doh, flashlights w/ extra batteries, finger puppets, card games, and stuffed animals.
uk are not allowed to send hammer and nails checked today with their headoffice
We live in the Midwest and have lots of Culvers around. If you eat there enough and buy the kids meals, you’ll get a token on each bag. Once you’ve saved 10 tokens you can get a free ball. (With 6 kids we can almost get a free ball each time we go!) We ask for ours to be left deflated and then send along a little ball pump with the ball in the box. It makes a great gift as kids in all countries love to play with balls and soccer (futbol) is popular in many of the countries where these boxes are delivered. And with the pump the ball can be used for years! Great for both boys and girls of all ages.
They no longer allow any candy due to customs regulations. This is a great list (I do over 30 a year and I use many of these ideas)! Last year my sister and I got re-usable (cloth) pads to send with instructions on how to use for the 10-14 girls. You can make your own using the pattern from daysforgirls.org if you can sew. Highly recommend this if you can! Another tip for some sweet deals: go on the tail end of a school supply sale in late September. Stores are desperately clearing stock and you can get incredible deals as prices get cut multiple times. Also wait till early October to get some great deals on shoes as well. I picked up 35 croc style shoes for $1 a pair at Walmart.
Dear OCC,
My child is one of the recipient of your shoe box gift.upon acknowledged that she was chosen to receive gift from you this year…she was so excited and even can’t sleep before the day of distribution…she prayed at night and thank the Lord …when she receive the gift with in her hand the happiness in her face was in it until she open it and she told me my prayer was answered because what’s on the box was she really really want….Being a parent thank you so much for the effort and extending the blessing from God and sharing it to put a smile to the faces of many child around the world….and it help so much to make them spiritually matured
Thank you so much…I’m lerma bataller, and my doughter ayessa from Pili Ilawod Bacacay Albay,Philippines ….God will bless you and God knows what your heart dessires..Let’s spread the love of God….
YOU WILL BE FOREVER BLEESED….lerma and ayessa
Fishing hooks and fishing line are good put in the boys boxes.
Oh, I LOVE that idea, adding it to my list too!
Reminder for packing in 2017: Do not pack candy, toothpaste, or any items that will be ingested through the mouth. In previous years, boxes containing such items, have either been held up or even not admitted into some countries at Customs due to health concerns. Toothbrushes are OK. Also, plastic read and green boxes will be available soon and can be purchased online at Samaritan’s Purse and at Hobby Lobby and probably other locations of which I am unaware.
I have volunteered at the shoebox collection warehouse for 2 years and I have noticed that the older girls/boys and the younger girls/boys don’t get as many boxes as the middle-aged girls/boys. So personally, I only make boxes for the older boys/girls and the younger boys/girls. I work at a church, so I have been asking our ladies and my friends to bring me make-up bags that they are not going to use. I put these in the older girls so they will have something to put some of their things in. I would have loved this when I was a girl this age. I make so many boxes, but every box I send will have 2 pair of underwear, girl or boy, in a zip-lock bag. I was told that some of the men in places/countries will rape a girl, most of them don’t have underwear on. But if she has on underwear, sometimes this will deter that from happening. So that is definitely one of my items to go in my boxes and someone else’s box. I do so many boxes that I have to break down a pack to give each one 2 pair. I don’t send Irish Spring Soap because it has such a strong smell. I don’t send Ivory soap because in some countries, the people use a piece of it to float on fishing line to catch fish. This brings alligators to that area to catch the fish on the lines. If the parents bathe their small ones in the same area, the gators smell the soap, and come to see if someone is fishing, and that might be a chance to grab a small child. This year you cannot send toothpaste or candy in the boxes. To get more in your box, if you will bend your coloring books and notebooks about 1/4 down from the binded edge, place it opposite each other in the bottom of your box, you can get more things in the middle of the box. Plus this somewhat protects your crayons and other things. Because these boxes are picked up and down several times before they get to their destination and they are handled a little rough, like anything else that is being shipped. Also, if you use the OCC boxes, I put a piece of wide tape on the ends to cover the seam of the box and go under that box with the tape a little ways. This seems to help support that box. I have friends that bring me regular shoeboxes, and our sweet secretary wraps every one of them, lids are wrapped separately, for me to use. Some of these children don’t know what Christmas paper is, so I know they get excited. I know it doesn’t matter to them if it is wrapped or not, but that is one of my things that has to be done. After the boxes are checked at the warehouse, the last person at the end of the table takes that box and rolls wide tape around the whole box so it won’t spill out in the big shipping box. That is one of the reasons I like to wrap the regular shoeboxes, then maybe they can use that box for something else. One of our church members sews the edges of flannel material squares to make little blankets to cover around the dolls or stuffed animals for the little children’s boxes. I wrap it around the animal and place a rubber band around it to hold it on. I could write forever about the shoeboxes. These items I talked about aren’t the only things I place in my boxes. They are so packed full of things that people ask me what do I put in these boxes. It feels as heavy as bricks when I’m through with them. So add underwear boy/girl to your list of items. And add make-up bags for the older girls. Thanks
Having read the list and comments – if the boxes are going to Africa they use the face cloths as towels – I always tease my Brownies and Guides, as that is what they bring on camp and I show them my big bath towel, saying if I used a ‘face cloth’ to dry my body, I would never get dry, and I have long hair compared to their short hair. Africans use Vaseline on their faces as well as for lip ice, so a bottle of that is also useful. Try also sending old Kids Geographic magazines, as even if they do not read English, they love the pictures. Some one was mentioning ivory soap, try sending ‘green soap’ – don’t know what you call it over there, but it can be used for both washing the body and clothes. See if you can send packets of seeds – herbs or different vegetables, they often enjoy planting these when their parents are planting their vegetables.
FYI: 2017 packing changes…NO CANDY (so really nothing edible) and NO TOOTHPASTE (due to customs concerns)
Thank you. This is a terrific resource!
Thanks so much for the helpful post! My son has down syndrome and is 3 months old today. I have been trying to figure out what to get him for Chritmas for weeks now. I can’t wait to try some of your suggestions!
God bless you, Beth.
I used my own shoe boxes, covered with wrapping paper. They say that you can use your own if they are wrapped.
We have been packing shoe boxes for over ten years now, and we have so much fun doing it. We were upset about no longer being able to pack candy in them any longer, because when we were growing up, that was one of the highlights of our gifts at Christmas. But after reading the post from Kelly, I now understand why we can no longer do so. Plus, after calling the main office last year, when I found out why we should no longer pack toothpaste in them, some of the children were thinking it was candy and eating it, we now understand that as well. Those aren’t the reason I sent a post. The reason why I sent this is a lot of the time I go to the Dollar Tree and buy several shrink wrapped wash cloths. I bought those for our grand children and we all had fun watching them open up the for the first time. They also take up a very small amount of space in the boxes, as well. Therefore opening up more space for even more ‘stuff’ that the children will love getting. But, at first I was upset about the toothpaste deal, after we had packed over I think it was thirty boxes, until I found out it would not be thrown away, but given to homeless shelters and things that also need them. So, happy packing shoe boxes this year and have a ball doing so, too!
What about something children at our church could make, makes it more personal for them, like they are contributing. I crochet hats for various ages. anything else we could make for the boxes?
Hi, I’m new to OCC & found some pj sets on sale. The only size left is 2T. Is that size too small to send if I’m packing for age 2-4 or should I pass on those & go with a larger size?
Other websites say candy is not allowed.
At church a woman who works at a distribution/collection site said sharpened pencils are not allowed and that disallowed items were “recycled” rather than being distributed to another charitable organization.
Confusion abounds.
Wonderful! I am really love it boxes I would like to use these boxes for my Clothes. I have lot of Stock of my apparels & that is I think a good options for saving it after that my shoes packs.
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Candy is your #1 tip and is NOT allowed. Update list please.