DONATE COLORING BOOKS TO HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS

Donating coloring books to the emergency room of your local hospital is a wonderful way to brighten a few dark hours in the lives of frightened, hurting children.

Nearly half of all emergency room patients are children under the age of 15. Just like adults, these kids show up in the emergency room with sprains and breaks, cuts and bruises, high-fevers and rashes. Unlike adults, children in an emergency room are frequently confused and uncertain about their surroundings.

Because of the steady-stream of medical staff and the bustle of other patients, children often feel lost in the shuffle.

To add to the chaos, there is the wait. On average, a patient spends more than three hours in the emergency room.

To an injured or ill child, that wait can seem endless. Since some hospitals do not keep many child-friendly activities on hand in the emergency room, a lot of these kids have to endure the waiting period with very little to distract them from their distress.

By donating coloring books to local emergency rooms, you can make a difference. With your help, these children will have at least one positive experience during an otherwise traumatic event.

If you have children of your own, you probably have piles of unused coloring books. If not, these coloring books are easy to obtain and relatively inexpensive.

Start with a nearby dollar-store. You will probably be able to purchase a stack of coloring books for a few dollars.

You should also enlist the help of your friends and family. They might have extra coloring books to donate to your inventory.

Don't forget the crayons. Off-brand crayons are usually sold in multi-packs at most discount stores. If you have slightly-broken, unneeded crayons at home, package them in disposable zipper bags for donation.

When you are satisfied with your lot of books and crayons, start calling hospitals in your area. Set up appointments to bring your coloring book and crayon donations to the hospitals.

If you have time, plan to make repeat coloring book donations every week. If you are not able to donate coloring books on a weekly basis, then try to donate monthly.