Child Life Program Support Fund

Child Life helps children cope with being in a hospital by providing a variety of play and developmentally appropriate preparation experiences.

Child Life helps children cope with being in a hospital by providing a variety of play and developmentally appropriate preparation experiences. Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) utilize a variety of tools including specialized medical play objects, distraction items and toys ranging from Lego kits to dolls to arts and crafts. These interventions help both children and families gain a greater understanding of medical procedures, which helps reduce stress and fear of the unknown. Through play, the child life specialist helps facilitate the emotional, developmental, and social growth of a child during the crisis of illness and related treatments. Donations to the Child Life Program support patients during their hospitalization or outpatient treatments. We truly appreciate your support!

Other Ways to Support Child Life

  • Host an Online Fundraiser or Virtual Toy Drive. Engage your friends and family in a fundraiser to support various areas of the Children’s Hospital. For more information on how to host your own online fundraiser, visit our DIY fundraising page diy.ynhh.org.
  • Donate an item from our Wish Book. The Wish Book is a catalog of various items that could help make a real difference in the life of a sick child, worried parent, or a family struggling with illness. Visit our online Wish Book.
  • Shop our Amazon Wish Lists. Our Child Life team has selected the items that are most commonly needed for our patients. You can donate these safe, approved toys directly to Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. View our current Amazon Wish Lists.

Toy Drives & Collections

We deeply appreciate the generosity of individuals, community groups and organizations who regularly host toy drives and collections on our behalf. Please be aware that donations collected in large-scale drives often include items that we cannot accept or health/safety hazards due to collection bins being placed in public, unmonitored locations. We ask toy collection organizers to sort donations prior to donating. Donations should be delivered in boxes or bags; we cannot accept loose, unpackaged items.

We gratefully accept donations of new, recently purchased and unused items which fall within our use guidelines.* Please note, YNHCH performs a health and safety evaluation on all donations of items prior to distributing to/using with patients.

We encourage you to consider hosting a Themed Toy Collection. Some ideas include:

  • Play-Doh (single cans and sets)
  • Crayons & coloring/activity books
  • LEGO and LEGO Kits (small and medium kits only)
  • Playing cards and Uno
  • Cars and trucks
  • Character figurines and playsets (superheroes, princesses, etc.)
  • Stress relief items (stress balls, fidget spinners, pop-toys, etc.)

The following items cannot be accepted:

  • Used items, including items that are considered “like-new”
  • Gift cards
  • Plush toys (unless sent direct from the manufacturer)
  • Electrical, spark-producing or friction-producing toys
  • Fragile toys
  • Toys made of glass, porcelain or brittle plastic
  • Toys with sharp edge or protrusions
  • Toys or craft kits with toxic paints, latex or glues
  • Toys with parts that can pinch fingers or pull hair
  • Toy guns or other toys with violent themes

*Our Development Team will be happy to speak with you about these guidelines and all of the ways you can support Child Life. Please contact giving@ynhh.org for more information.

For information about donating to the Toy Closet Program, which provides each pediatric patient with an age-appropriate toy or small gift when they are discharged from the hospital, please click here.