Donating Books and Toys



Our long-established Ready 2 Read literacy program stocks shelves throughout the hospital with books for children. Volunteers read donated books to inpatients at MassGeneral for Children at North Shore Medical Center. Books are also available to families who are waiting for appointments. Children are encouraged to take books home with them when they leave the hospital.

Books donations

Call 978.354.2776 to learn how you can donate books.

Game and toy donations

Donations of games and toys are gratefully accepted. Please remember that all items must be new. Due to our infection control policies, gifts of stuffed animals are discouraged.

If you have any questions, call 978.354.2715


Gifts Under $10

  • Infant and toddler board books
  • Disposable sippy cups
  • Crazy straws
  • Infant spoons
  • Wrist rattles
  • I Spy and pop-up books
  • Coloring books
  • Plastic infant toys and rattles
  • Squeezable stress balls
  • Bubbles
  • Playing cards
  • Skip-Bo and Phase 10 cards
  • Pinwheels
  • Matchbox cars
  • Crayola markers and colored pencils
  • Unpainted wooden crafts
  • Colorful band-aids (latex free)
  • Crayons (individual boxes)
  • Crossword and word search books

Gifts Under $25

  • Sound books
  • Infant stimulation toys (sounds and lights…no cloth)
  • Plastic infant toys
  • Crib mirrors – no cloth
  • Crib gyms and mobiles – no cloth
  • Popular board games (Clue, Sorry, Scrabble)
  • Puzzles
  • Magnadoodle
  • Etch-a-sketch
  • Lego kits
  • Arts and crafts kits
  • Toy doctors kits
  • Dolls with plastic bodies
  • Music CD’s (nature sounds, Disney, lullaby, pop music, Kidz Bop)
  • DVD’s – New Releases, G, PG, PG-13
  • Action Figures
  • Barbies
  • Fisher Price Toys (farm, house, garage)
  • Nail polish sets
  • Gift Certificates to local movie theaters
  • Hand held electronic games

Gifts Under $75

  • Washable crib mobiles – no cloth
  • Video Games for Game Cube system
  • Model kits
  • Hats and shirts from local sports teams
  • Portable CD players
  • Gift Certificates (Toy’s R Us, Babies R Us, Target, Wal-Mart)
  • Fisher Price crib toys (Rainforest Waterfall & Ocean Wonders Aquarium)