Plush Animal Review for OCC Shoeboxes from Dollar Tree

I (Cheryl) enjoy receiving Operation Christmas Child shoebox packing items for my birthday.  This year I had gift money to spend and since I can't get out to shop much so I decided to order some plush stuffed animals from Dollar Tree since we include a stuffed animal in every shoebox.  I also was able to pay with Paypal and use a $5 coupon they had sent for my birthday.  Disclosure:  I will be including Sarah's affiliate links in my review below--if you shop thru them she'll be compensated, so you will help keep Simply Shoeboxes online at no extra cost to yourself.

Below are my thoughts on quality, cuteness and appropriateness for including in an Operation Christmas Child shoebox.  At the end of the post is also a video of our unboxing them and we show them in an OCC shoebox if you are interested.

I never considered Dollar Tree stuffed animals much until last Easter when Sarah packed a shoebox from Dollar Tree's Easter section.  We normally buy more expensive ones on clearance.  She said in her post, "I have to say-I totally fell in love with these stuffed animals, often $1 stuffed animals are not that nice, but Dollar Tree often seems to have some nice ones, and these-especially the lamb-was SO CUTE!!!"  I just had to buy more of those this year, too as I also fell in love with them and was very satisfied with the quality.

This image is from last year's stuffies, this year's have embroidered eyes instead.

Ordering them online (Easter Floppy Plush Animals SKU: 284202 ) would mean I would get two styles of bunnies also (as they come in a case), and since we seem to always have an abundance of bunnies Sarah finds on clearance, I decided to just have her pick up some of the ducks and lambs when she picked up my order at our local Dollar Tree (free shipping to store).  I would definitely buy these again.  They seem sturdy, have embroidered faces and are adorable.

My online order included Fuzzy Friends Plush Hanging Sloth SKU: 279941.  From the image online I thought these would be perfect for the 10 to 14 year old boys, except for the lightest one which I thought would be sweet for the 10 to 14 year old girl shoeboxes.  Being 14 inches long I knew they would need to fold over to fit in an Operation Christmas Child shoebox which should be no problem.  They were, indeed, long but very narrow so they fit with lots of room left over.  They are very soft with the exception of the felt feet & hands.  They have cute smiles tho a few faces were not stuffed full.  I think they are okay, but I personally would not choose to buy them again.  My husband packs our 10 to 14 year old boy boxes so I will need to see what he thinks.  He may like to buy them again.

I also ordered a case of Fuzzy Friends Plush Sea Animals SKU: 243944.  I fell in love with the fish and the turtle.  I also thought the shark would be great for the older boys.  I think these are made well enough, but I was disappointed with the stiffness of the felt fins on the fish (not so cuddly), otherwise they are nice and soft. And I love the bright colors. The shark was also not as cute as I expected so I may not choose to order another case of these but I will need the opinions of the other packers in my family.  They are a good choice for the boy boxes.

My last case was for Fuzzy Friends Plush Baby Animals SKU: 243946.  The giraffe just kept calling my name -- I couldn't resist.  He did not disappoint -- I think he was mine and Sarah's favorite.  This set of four animals were well made and all passed the cuteness test.  This is another set that I would be happy to order another case of when I need more animals.  I think they all would be great for either boy or girl Operation Christmas shoeboxes.

When Sarah went to pick up the order at Dollar Tree she found another adorable duck.  I think this little guy is by far the best quality and the highest cuteness score, but unfortunately I have not been able to find him online.  Perhaps they will soon carry him online, too.

I found the easiest way to find their full selection of stuffed animals was to search for "plush" on the Dollar Tree website.  Here is a direct link if you are interested:  Plush Search on Dollar Tree.

To order online you need to order by the case (either 24 or 36 depending on style), or you can order less and pay a handling fee. Shipping to your local Dollar Tree store is free.  Dollar Tree often runs shipping deals, like currently shipping via UPS is just $1.00 (valid through 02/28/2019 at 12:50am ET).  Final disclosure:  links in this post to Dollar Tree are affiliate links-meaning Sarah makes a small commission when an order is placed thru one of them.

I definitely plan on ordering more plush animals from Dollar Tree for filling our future Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

Containers from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Great for OCC Shoeboxes

Many people who pack shoeboxes like to make up small kits maybe for sewing, jewelry making, fishing, etc and that requires some time of container.  Or, you may want to be sure the child has some place to store something like a Lego set, Jacks game, etc.  There are a number of options  from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them).     MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

They sent me some free samples to check out, and I went around my shoebox stash and saw what would fit in various ones of them to give you some ideas of size and what can fit.  Some do require pretty big lots to order, so may be better for big packing parties, but then if you were just doing a few, you probably could just save some for yourself or with friends.  Some, though, are in lots as low as 12, which would be great for doing a few boxes.  

By the way, while we can't send medicines in shoeboxes, OCC has said the medicine bottles are fine to use if they've been cleaned out, and these would never have been used!  I would probably mark over anything that said something medical though.

These are your basic medicine bottles, and they come with lids sold separately.  These are the ones that would really probably work best if you're doing a big packing party as they come in large cases.  The lids aren't child resistant which I think is probably actually nice as we're sending them to children-Haha!  The lids do seem to snap on quite well!  (Note, in the photo above, those are smaller Jacks set from Kipp Brothers, and mini thread spools from a sewing kit)  Here they are listed from smallest to largest:

Bottles with out lids:

• (Not pictured) Pharmacy Vials, Omega, Amber 11 DR (RXOA11) $47.12 / Case of 450 
• Pharmacy Vials, Omega, Amber 13 DR (RXOA13)  $49.60 / Case of 420
• Pharmacy Vials, Omega, Amber 16 DR (RXOA16) $53.32 / Case of 335
• Pharmacy Vials, Omega, Amber 30 DR (RXOA30) $33.48 / Case of 190
• Pharmacy Vials, Omega, Amber 40 DR (RXOA40) $34.72 / Case of 125
• Pharmacy Vials, Omega, Amber 60 DR (RXOA60) $40.92 / Case of 85

Lids:

• Cap for Pharmacy Vials, Omega, 11, 13, 16 DR (RXOSC11)  $60.76 / Case of 900
• Cap for Pharmacy Vials, Omega, 30, 40, 60 DR (RXOSC30) $60.76 / Case of 420

This option comes in three different colors  and come with caps.  The caps are reversible one way is child resistant and normal screw in lid.  The child resistant side is not too hard to open, but I'm not sure the recipients would be familiar with that concept.  Also, if you use them that way be sure not over-fill it; I did that and had to have my Dad force the lid off-haha! The normal screw side is pretty easy to get off-just be aware it screws INTO the bottle, so takes up a little space at the top.  I know some people like to use the open part of the top to make pin cushions.  (Note: these are mini sewing kit spools of thread)

• Strata Prescription Pill Vials, C Style - Amber 16 DR (RXSA16) $59.21 / Case of 260
• Strata Prescription Pill Vials, C Style - Green 16 DR (RXSG16) $61.94 / Case of 260
• Strata Prescription Pill Vials, C Style - Blue 16 DR (RXSB16) $61.94 / Case of 260

This are probably my favorite bottles-really nice and sturdy!!  They have nice screw on lids.  I was especially excited when I saw the Lego type set I'd bought on clearance fit so well in the large one to make a Wow item!

• Pharmacy Ointment Jars, 1 OZ (RXJ1)  $9.92 / Case of 12
• Pharmacy Ointment Jars, 2 OZ (RXJ2) $11.16 / Case of 12
• Pharmacy Ointment Jars, 4 OZ. (RXJ4) $18.60 / Case of 12
• Pharmacy Ointment Jars, 8 OZ (RXJ8) $21.08 / Case of 12
• Pharmacy Ointment Jars, 16 OZ (RXJ16) $23.56 / Case of 12

These next two aren't exactly "Bottles" but are also fun to pack things in-and these are something you probably can't get from a friend-denture cases!  There are two different styles:

These Ortho Boxes - Denture, Assorted Colors (OB-2000)  $6.89 / Box of 12  are the cheaper, and smaller option.  They do have small draining holes in them.  The hinge is just a thin strip of plastic, so I'm not real sure how long it will last.  But I really had fun making different little kits with them and come in a fun assortment of colors!  They have a nice snapping close.

This is a larger/deeper option:  Ortho Boxes - Denture, Assorted Colors (OB-1000) $8.05 / Box of 12 These also come in an assortment of colors.  They don't have any drainage holes in them (as they're designed for soaking/cleaning dentures).  Their hinges are loops of plastic, and seem sturdier than did the flatter ones.  They seem to seal closed pretty well, and have little "legs" on the bottom.

Finally, here's a photo of them with a yard stick for scale:  

I hope this review helps someone...if you have any further questions, please just ask and you may want to check out the rest of my MD Supplies & Services Reviews for items appropriate for packing in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

Disclaimer: I received these products free to review, but the opinions are all my own.  Links in this post to MDSupplies & Services are affiliate links and I'll be compensated if you purchase after clicking on them which helps me afford the time to review items, write the blog, and keep up the Facebook page, etc.  And I only share things I pack/think are good for shoeboxes.

Defend Premium Toothbrushes from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Options for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Since oral hygiene is so important to health, we try to include a toothbrush in every shoebox.  From the USA we can't send toothpaste, but experts say the brush is more important and works great on it's own.  We've started getting many of our hygiene items from (affiliate) MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.     MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

Disclaimer: I received these products free to review, but the opinions are all my own.  Links in this post to MDSupplies & Services are affiliate links.

Earlier I reviewed 3 of their more basic toothbrush options, this review is for the fancier looking Defend Premium Toothbrushes.  hey come individually wrapped in assorted colors.  This quality level of toothbrushes has three different sizes:

• Premium Toothbrushes - Adult (TB-1000) these come in a pack of 72 for $36.73 or 51 cents each
• Premium Toothbrushes - Youth (TB-2000) these come in a pack of 72 for $34 or 47 cents each
• Premium Toothbrushes - Child (TB-2500) these come in a pack of 72 for $34 or 47 cents each

These toothbrushes are nice, and colorful. Of all the ones I've tried from MDSupplies & Services, these look the most like "normal" toothbrushes, and from their price you'd feel they'd be better.  While the handles are more ergonomic, and they look nicer, I didn't really seem to find them that much different.  They seemed stiff enough, but not too stiff.  They have a nice number of bristles, but they are flat across the top like the others from MDSupplies & Services, not beveled tops like many modern toothbrushes.   But it seemed to work just fine.  I used one for around a month-some days multiple times, I'd say it was used 50 or more times, and as you can see it held up just fine to that use (& I'm tough on toothbrushes).  So, I feel like it's a sturdy toothbrush we can feel comfortable sending in our shoeboxes, knowing they're a good quality.

I hope this review helps someone...if you have any further questions, please just ask and you may want to check out the rest of my MD Supplies & Services Reviews for items appropriate for packing in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

This post contained affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links, this helps me afford the time to write this blog and keep up the Facebook page.  But, I only share affiliate links for items I think would be good for shoeboxes, and fellow shoebox packers.  Most the time it will be things I've personally reviewed or packed, in this case I got the toothbrushes free to try.

Westcott Kids 5" Scissors from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Great for OCC Shoeboxes

Scissors are a great thing to include as part of the school supplies or a tool/sewing kit in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)  When MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form was first offered, I thought of it just for hygiene cases, but there are also other items including scissors!

If you're unfamiliar with MDSupplies & Services, they have helpfully made for us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

Now to review the scissors, there are two different kinds to pick from: Kids 5" Pointed Scissors, Bulk (42515) and Kids 5" Blunt Scissors, Bulk (42516).  They are pretty much the same other than the tips, so I'll review them together.  If you pack a large number of boxes, this may be the option for you.  You buy them in cases of 700 for $525, which works out to $0.75 a piece.

I tested them cutting a variety of materials: paper, the cardboard backing of their packaging, and fabric:

I thought it cut them all just fine.  Obviously the cardboard was harder to cut, but certainly reasonable.  I was actually pleasantly surprised at how well it cut the fabric.  Obviously, with the shorter blade it's not a true pair of fabric scissors, but certainly usable in a sewing kit!

The one downside to the scissors is their handles are rather small, but usable, and wouldn't be as big a deal for children as to me as an adult.

I hope this review helps someone...if you have any further questions, please just ask and you may want to check out the rest of my MD Supplies & Services Reviews for items appropriate for packing in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

Disclaimer:  I received these products free to review, but the opinions are all my own.  Links in this post to MDSupplies & Services are affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

American White Cross Adhesive Bandages from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Fun Item for OCC Shoeboxes

  MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go into OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!  They've helpfully arranged for me to test and review some of the products on the order form to help myself and others

Children's Coloring Book from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Perfect Size for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Childrens Coloring Books (CB01) from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form (Affiliate links).   MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

 (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

Today I'm sharing about their coloring books.  They are sold in a case of 600 for $118.59 which works out to about 20 cents a piece.  They are 5 by 7 inches, and 8 sheets and 16 pages/images in total.  They feel sturdy, like the child could carry it

Nail Brush from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Small Addition to an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox

Today I have a review for you of  Nail Brush, Purple Handle, white nylon bristles (NB3381) from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.   MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

These brushes are $7.62 for 50 brushes, so about 15 cents a piece.

 (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

I try to include basic hygiene supplies in my OCC shoeboxes, and when I saw this nail brush I thought it might be a fun thing to consider adding to a shoebox.  If the

Baby Comb from MDSupplies & Services Review for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing

If you read my blog, you probably saw my earlier post:  Combs and Brushes from MDSupplies and Services Review.  When I wrote that, I had only tried three, now I have another one to review:  Dukal Comb, baby, Ivory two-sided Dukal. They cost $45.11 for a case 864, so about a nickel a piece on the MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.  MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

 (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

I thought these were pretty cute and would be fun for the 2-4 year old boxes. Overall, the comb was 5 3/4 inch and the comb part is 2 3/4 inch.  It was a

MD Supplies & Services Reviews of Products to Pack in Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

 Post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

DISCLAIMER: Prices are current as time of reviews, may go up or down as time goes on.

If you pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes in any number, often buying things in bulk can be a way to make it easier and to stretch funds.  For hygiene supplies one good option I've found is to order from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Packer's order form.   MDSupplies & Service has helpfully made us who pack for OCC shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!  They helpfully arranged for me to sample some items from the Shoebox Packers order form, and I wrote review posts of the items I tried; below are the links to the various reviews.

MDSupplies & Service sells hygiene and other supplies in large lots of varying sizes, so for someone who only packs a few Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes this may not be as great, but you may be able to go in with friends.  Or, because the deals are so good, if you can scrape together a little extra money and storage space, it may be worth getting a few years ahead.  That's what we are doing.

Hope this helps someone!

Their website describes MDSupplies & Service as a "Medical Supply Store Shop with over 30,000 discount medical supplies and medical equipment products from the industry's leading manufacturers and brands. Our 'Direct-Connect' medical supply store technology allows us to offer medical supplies online at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional medical supply distributors, saving you an average of 50%."  So they not only save Operation Christmas Child shoebox packers money, they give doctors, dentists, hospitals and anyone in the medical field an opportunity to save on supplies.

Update October 2017:  Links in this post to MDSupplies & Services are now affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Zip Plastic Bags from MDSupplies & Services Review and How They Can Be Used in Packing OCC Shoeboxes

Here's a review of the zipper sealing plastic bags made by Dukal from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.     MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC hoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!   (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

MDSupplies & Services offers 9  different sizes of bags in cases of 1,000 (prices effective at time post was published -- use order link above for free shipping):

• Zip Bag, Clear 3 x 4" (ZIP34) $6.35 (less than a penny a bag)
• Zip Bag, Clear 3 x 5" (ZIP35) $6.99 (less than a penny a bag)

Toothbrushes from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Options for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Toothbrushes are something that I want to include in all of my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, but they can be expensive or be of poor quality and break down quickly.  So, I was excited to get to try three different toothbrushes  from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.  MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!   (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

My sister or I used all of them a couple times a day for a week or two.  Here are the results. All in all, I think all of these are good options for shoeboxes.  All come

Facial Bar Soap from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Good Price for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

If you pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes in bulk, soap can be one of the harder things to find at a good price...not easy to do deals and coupons for that many boxes!  Here's a good option from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.   MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!   (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

  

They offer the Facial Bar Soap - #3 (3 oz) Individually Wrapped (SP30) for  $26.87 for a case of 100...works out to 27 cents a bar.  They also offer it unwrapped:  Bar Soap, Facial - #3 (3 oz) Unwrapped (SPU30) for $24.14 for a case of 100...a

Nail clippers from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Something Extra to Pack in an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox

One thing I've been thinking about adding to our hygiene kits in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is finger nail clippers.  So, these  from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form appealed to me as a cost effective way to do it.     MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!  (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

What I tried was: Fingernail Clipper without file (FNC3275).  They sell them in a case of 288 for $69.88 which works out to $0.243 per clipper...sounds like a good

Combs and Brushes from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Great to Pack in Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Finding good, but cost effective combs and brushes for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes can be hard, so I was glad for the chance to look at the ones offered on MDSupplies and Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form. MDSupplies and Services sells medical supplies in box and has helpfully made us who pack for shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!! I always try to include a comb or brush in my OCC shoebox along with other hygiene items like toothbrush, soap, and washcloth.   (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

I tried three different hair implements made by Dukal.  First, the most expensive (& biggest option) was Hair Brush, Adult, Gray, 8 long, plastic bristles (HB02).  It

Dukal Hygiene Cases from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Good for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

One thing I tried to add to my shoeboxes last year was cases for the hygiene supplies I'd always sent in my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  The reasoning was if many of these children are living in orphanages, refuge camps, hospitals, or even mud huts, it could be hard to keep the toothbrushes and bars of soap free from dirt.  It can be hard to find the budget to add that to the shoeboxes though. So, I was excited to get the chance try out various caps and cases from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.  (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

The most expensive is $0.165, so not as hard to add them into the budget, although you do have to get 100 or 1140 of them (depending on which item you select).  What I love about these is that none of them have moving parts: hinges,

Save By Buying in Bulk ~ 480 Colored Pencils Added to My Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Stockpile

Buying items in bulk and splitting them between shoeboxes is a great way to save while packing shoeboxes.  We want to include colored pencils in all of our 10 to 14 year olds Operation Christmas Child Shoebox gifts.  Crayola is our brand of choice but we have had trouble finding them at an affordable price.  Last week Clip With Purpose shared a deal on Amazon for Crayola 240 packs for $15.47 each.  I had some gift cards I had earned on Swagbucks so I knew this was a deal I could not pass up.

A bonus is that each included 12 pencil sharpeners.  I usually pay $1/12 of those so I figure the pencils were $14.47/240 or $.72 per 12-- a much better deal than I have gotten in years.  And of course getting them free with gift cards was perfect!  Now to get busy on sewing some pencil pouches.

Update 2017:  We have tested other brands of colored pencils. If you are interested you can see our results here:  Colored Pencil Brands Comparison Test for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing.