What are you doing with children’s old toys?

[mamaandthegirls]

So due to the pandemic a lot of charity shops aren’t open and aren’t offering collection for items.
I need to sort out my 2 girls toys before Christmas (for when Santa brings them some new ones ) and I was wondering what you guys have done with your children’s old toys? And how to get rid of them fast?
I have tried selling on eBay and Facebook, but no one seems interested so I’ve given up there, I don’t really want to bin them due to it just filling landfills with plastic!

Sell, offer for free, wait to charity shops are open. Decent ones perhaps offer to a nursery/chreche? Any friends you can offer them to?

I would offer them for free on Facebook selling groups, I've tried selling stuff really cheap with no interest and as soon as I list it for free it gets snapped up. I sometimes get nursery/playgroups asking if they can take them

I offer for free on FB

I think BHF are offering free postage, we are waiting for them to re-open, luckiy we took loads to the charity shops in Sept/Oct.

I did email our local domestic abuse refuge to offer kids clothes & toys, but they can't take any this month.
Have you got a loft?

I’ve heard of some going to women’s refuges or refugee centres.

Offer for free on FB or if you have a mums group on WhatsApp maybe put them on there. Someone might want them for a younger sibling.

The other sad option is the tip, its where they'll end up eventually. Sad but true!

I need to do a clear out and will certainly have some Orchard games and puzzles to get rid of - will put on Freecycle and I know they'll go quickly

Are your girls in nursery, or school? If so, they might accept stuff for everyday play/wet play/ after school club etc. Books would probably be welcomed in the classroom.
If you are on your local Nextdoor, someone may want them if offered.
Could try your local Home Start. They may want things to give to families for Christmas, or to use in their groups.

Some i have sold purely because they're either in original packaging or have had very little use and the others have been given away for free

Get on your local free Facebook page and offer them out. Leave them on the doorstep at the time arranged for pick up. If you haven't got a local freecycle type page why not start one.

Or get on your local community page and ask about charities, schools, playgroups and refuges that may need things. Again they will pick up in a socially distanced way from your doorstep.

I have managed to sell very cheap on FB or offer free for collection. Had a good clear out.

There are a lot of options
1 local baby bank (not all take toys but some do)
2 places like the Salvation Army still seem to be open at the moment
3 local nurseries or school preschools
4 local hospital children wards
5 are you on your local Facebook community group? You can offer them for free on there?
6 local church playgroups etc
Or just wait for charity shops to reopen - I’ve done a huge clothes donation to my local baby bank, a big book sort out to my daughter’s nursery and have a bag of toys waiting to go to a charity shop in Dec once I’ve finished sorting outs

I am selling a load of stuff at the moment. If it's cheap enough it will go. I had some books on small bundles 2-3 each so maybe £10 in all. They been hanging around a week no interest. Combined into one bundle for £6 (about 30 books) sold and collected in half hour!

With coming up to Xmas it's a great time to sell.,

I have tried selling on eBay and Facebook, but no one seems interested so I’ve given up there, I don’t really want to bin them due to it just filling landfills with plastic!

If nobody wants to buy try giving them away rather than binning them.

I usually give toys they’ve grown out of to the charity shop (it’s all staying in the garage until they’re open again). Occasionally I offer the nicer (or more sentimental) things to friends with younger DC. I buy new toys for our local refuge at Christmas, so that Father Christmas visits them, too

I am giving things away free on Facebook or messaging in the school mums chat group we have.

We sell the best stuff on ebay, in bundles works best as someone has said. Everything else is donated to nursery who have always been really pleased with it.

Dd has just started school this year so future stuff will be offered to afterschool club or reception. We recently gave some cot blankets to school for the dolls in the home corner as dd noticed they didn't hav any for their cots! (Its her favourite place to play at school!

You all need to tell me your secrets! I tried putting some baby toys up for free (in perfect condition) but had no interest. No idea what I'm doing wrong! They're currently cluttering up my house so they need to go somewhere! They have electronic bits though so does mean a lot of places won't take them?

Nurseries, schools and baby groups at libraries, churches & community centres might tale them after lockdown.

Wherearefox does your FB have a local community page, things get snapped up on ours, lots of kid and baby stuff seems to end up with Grandparents?

Toys in good condition I have sold to help pay for this year.

There is a new Facebook group called "preloved to reloved" where people are able to ask for or offer anything (though it is looking mostly child based) for just the cost of postage. Might be useful to you.

Depending on the toy - offer then to your local primary school ?

Hospital wards often don't take second hand stuff. Health and safety reasons.

Sometimes I put a post on my local fb group with a picture of what I'm giving away, put them in a box at the gate with a sign next to them. Then people can come and help themselves or take things on their way past. It works really well but is a bit weather dependent!