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kid with book balancing on his head
Get Crafty.
Put your DIY expertise to good use. Gillette Children’s hospital collects homemade no-sew fleece blankets to offer something cuddly to its patients. Blankets must be made with new materials and washed with non-fragrant detergent. gillettechildrens.org
Donate Books.
Clean out your shelves and connect with your neighbors in an easy and educational way. Pick out books to donate to a Little Free Library near you. littlefreelibrary.org
Fundraise.
Put together an online fundraising drive to help support local organizations like Every Meal, which provides meals to kids across 31 school districts in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. everymeal.org
Spread Cheer.
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Two boys with special olympics tee shirts on
Special Olympics Minnesota has options for kids of all ages. Energetic tykes are encouraged to get their spirit fingers ready and cheer on participants, while those aged 12 and older are allowed to aid with more involved tasks, like check-in, scorekeeping, and managing stations. specialolympicsminnesota.org
Gift Toys.
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Girl with box of stuffed animals
When you’ve got two famous toy stores that are merely a car ride away, it’s fun to think about shopping for yourself and others. LARK Toys in Kellogg has it all—and then some. There’s a carousel, workshop, bookstore, mini golf course, and llamas. Yes, we said llamas. Pick up a few handmade toys for you and to give away. Then head over to Mischief Toy Store in St. Paul for a few out-of-the-box puzzles and games. When you’re done perusing its overloaded shelves, grab two of whatever floats your fancy—one for you and one to put in the Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy and Book Drive box that’s on-site during the holidays. 63604 170th Ave., Kellogg, 507-767-3387, larktoys.com; 818 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-493-3307, mischieftoy.com
Pick Up Trash.
Doing something good can be spur-of-the-moment. Pick up a $10 trash grabber and pave the way for the environment on your next familial walk around Lake Harriet. Reward a job well done with ice cream from Bread and Pickle and some live music at the band shell. breadandpickle.com
