There's a Genius New Way to Donate Your Kids' Old LEGOs

Katie Holdefehr

Hint: You don't even have to leave your house.

Does your home have a LEGO problem? Are they constantly crunching underfoot, even though your older kids haven't played with them in a couple years? Or have you accumulated far more than your toy storage bins can hold? Whatever your reason for culling your LEGO stash, it's now easier than ever to donate the extra blocks collected around your house. LEGO recently announced that it is partnering with Give Back Box on a program called LEGO Replay, which makes it easy to donate excess LEGOs using any cardboard box you have lying around the house—and without even having to step a foot outside. Follow the directions below to put your kids' old toys to good use.

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How to Donate LEGOs

Begin by filling a cardboard box (that one from your last Amazon delivery will work) with the LEGOs you'd like to donate. Then, go to GiveBackBox.com and click on the "Donate Lego Bricks" tab. You will be prompted to fill in your email address and info and print out a free shipping label. If you want a tax deduction receipt, one will automatically be sent to you. Have multiple boxes of bricks to send? Simply print out separate labels for each box.

What Happens to Donated LEGOs?

All of the old LEGO bricks are steamed and cleaned (so you don't need to worry about washing them first), before being packed by hand into brand new boxes. The LEGOs will then be distributed to thousands of kids across the country, in partnership with Teach for America and the after-school programs at the Boys and Girls Club of Boston. The first shipments are expected to be delivered in November 2019.

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When's the Best Time to Donate?

If you have an entire playroom full of LEGOs you've been meaning to tidy up, you'll want to jump on the project sooner rather than later. This pilot program is only scheduled to run through spring 2020, at which point the team will consider expanding the program. "For us, the number of donations we receive is critical to a successful campaign, so we’ve made it as easy as possible for folks at home to send in their idle bricks," says Monika Wiela, founder of Give Back Box. To make the pilot a success, give toys to children in time for the holiday season, and (bonus!) clear out space for incoming holiday gifts, the best time to donate is right now. So grab those empty cardboard boxes and get to packing—this is the easiest donation you'll make all year.