School Supplies for Shoeboxes Collection Poster

Samaritan's Purse has suggested items of the month for packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, and for August, that's School supplies!  School supplies are so important as in many countries they are required to attend school.  I thought maybe a collection poster might be helpful to collect them from friends, congregation members, etc.  So, here's what I came up with.  Feel free to print it out, share online, etc. as needed to get more school supplies for shoeboxes.

If you like this poster, you may want to check out our other collection posters.

Pencil Granny & Friends Fillers for Operation Christmas Child

If you read this blog, you'll probably have read me mentioning that you can send fillers to the Processing Centers for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  Basically, some boxes that come through the inspection line have to have something taken out because the packer misunderstood the instructions and there's a hole in the box.  A great example of this would be a box I saw with and apple and orange in it.  Great for a stocking, not so great for a box that may take a month to get to another country.  When something has to be taken out it is replaced with something else.  Also, sometimes a box comes through that doesn't have to have anything taken out, but is pretty empty.  Maybe the packer was poor and gave all they could, maybe they misunderstood and thought they could only put one item in, or maybe someone got sidetracked trying to hit a certain number of boxes packed rather than packing full boxes.   Samaritan's Purse accepts donations, so in either of these cases, the volunteers will have something to fill the boxes for the children.

The Pencil Granny & Friends is a group of people on Facebook who has seen the need for this filler and has a burden to provide school supplies for children.  They act on this by making pencil packs to send as filler that can be put in boxes needing something else. In many countries, school supplies are required to attend school, and these packs may literally give a child what they need to get an education. 

How I personally decide how many to pack is how many spare pencil cases I have left at the end of my personal shoebox packing.  Some I've bought because I thought they'd be good for this project, some are sewn or crochet, but as you can see, there's a lot of variety-also what goes in depends a little on what fits.  And just like the shoeboxes I pack, often they end up having a theme.  I like to try to add small extras as well.  Depending on what I find.  For instance, I bought combs in a giant lot, so I put one in each bag.  You can see the sports one has a "gold medal" in it, etc.  I even fit a little stuffed animal in one.

Then I took them to the drop off location in a small box clearly labeled Fillers and Gifts-in-Kind, and they had a carton at the drop off to put it into to send to the processing center.  It's important to be sure it's not mistaken for it's own shoebox-haha!

If this interests you, be sure to check out The Pencil Granny & Friends Facebook page!  And if you're interested in the quality of various pencils, check out our Pencil Brand Reviews.

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.

August Item of the Month for OCC~ School Supplies

Samaritan's Purse has suggested items of the month for packing  Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, and for August it's school supplies...which works out really well since there are so many great deals on them right now!

While this may seem like a more boring, practical item to us, one recipient said: 

“My favorite items in my shoebox were school supplies. They were really important to me because it meant I could go to school.”

–Luis, Panama
In many countries children cannot go to school without supplies, which their parents cannot always afford.  So, you may really be giving schooling to the child

Fitting a Spiral Notebook in an OCC Go Shoebox

One important thing to send in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is school supplies.   One thing we always like to include with that, is lined paper.  One of the most cost effective and substantial ways to include that is with a spiral notebook.  There's even a great story about recipients and their notebooks: Shanika & Sherika -and- the Notebooks.   However...it can be hard to figure out how to make them fit, but once you know the trick, it's pretty easy.  There are actually two schools of thought.

First, some people put them in the bottom of the shoebox, and then pack on top of

Pencil Brand Reviews for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

One thing we always pack in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is pencils.  At one time we thought about stopping sending them in the youngest age group as they might not be in school yet, then we heard from the parents of a recipient in that age group who specifically mentioned being grateful for the school supplies as their daughter was starting school soon.  I've read in many countries children are not allowed to attend school without supplies.  If you'd like to read more about the

Colored Pencil Brands Comparison Test for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing

After we saw the results of our crayon coloring and heat tests, we decided to compare colored pencils this year, as sometimes name brand can cost twice as much, and as a child and teen, I don't really remember noticing that much difference in brands.  We want to include good quality items in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and that includes colored pencils.  The three brands we got to test were Crayola, CraZArt, and iMagine (Dollar General Brand).

I grew up with various brands of colored pencils, then as a teenager I received Prismacolor pencils because I was interested in art.  My mom and sister have

Simple Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern and Tutorial ~ Perfect for OCC Pencil Pouch or Hygiene Supplies

We use a lot of handmade drawstring bags in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and I am always looking for an easier way to sew them so I can go faster and make more (especially since I need to make them for our own shoeboxes and the kids' packing party at church).  This is my newest version:  a lined drawstring pouch just the right size for pencils and other small school supplies or to hold the hygiene supplies we include (soap, washcloth, toothbrush, comb, etc.).  I've decided to share my Simple Drawstring Bag Pattern and Tutorial

Hollar Product Reviews for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Hollar.com seems to have dollar store like stuff, but some are overstocks, etc, so they may cost a dollar or two, but be worth more/better quality and perfect for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  For instance when I ordered they had Gund and pro team branded stuffed "friends" for $1-$2.  They have limited number of some of the items, some things I bought are already sold out, but I’ll review them all, anyhow. I choose ordered from them as Swagbucks had a special with bonus points for ordering form them, so it only cost me a net of $2 (so, kinda like getting everything 80% off, so $0.40 or $0.20 a piece).  You have to order at least $10, free shipping on first order, and any order over $25.  I think if you sign up through this link (https://www.hollar.com/share/ywml52xj) we'll both get $2 credit at Hollar.  If anyone wants to do that, I'll save my credits to use toward OCC shoebox items myself.  Or, if you're on Swagbucks, check out if they have a bonus offer still going.

Ty MLB Beanie Ballz-Cleveland Indians it was $2.   So cute!  It’s kinda a cross between a ball and a stuffed “friend”.  It even had “beans” in the bottom so it

KIPP Brothers/Toys Product Reviews for Items to Pack in Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

I have been doing reviews on the Simply Shoeboxes Facebook page of some products I've bought online for my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  I hoped to help people know what they're getting before they order, and thought I'd try to start doing blog posts of them, for those who may not be on Facebook.

We had ordered from Kipp Brothers years ago when packing OCC shoeboxes from a VBS offering at our church, and were happy with the items.  Now, like a decade later I looked them up online.  They have free shipping at $250.  I watched their Facebook page for a while, until I saw free shipping deal on $100 (+10% off, which was more manageable for my budget.  It has some items just by a dozen, but many come by 50 or a Gross (a dozen, dozens = 144). 

Note:  Links in this post were up to date at time of publishing. Some items may no longer be available.

Metal Stone Rings $16.95 for 36, so $0.47 a piece.  I really enjoyed having a ring or two like this as a child, so when I saw them I decided to send them in my 10-14 girl boxes.  They say

Crayon Brands Heat Stress Test ~ Will They Melt in an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox?

There's a great variety of prices of crayons, especially at back to school sale time from fifty cents down to a penny.  So many choices...how to choose!  We want to send nice things to the children in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, but we don't want to spend money just to get a name brand.  So I decided to do some tests on various crayon brands from my local stores.  (This post contains marked affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links, that is how I afford the time to write these posts, and do these tests)

We tested five crayon brands for both coloring quality and resistance to heat (that they might experience in transit).  The brands we tested were Crayola, which you can normally get for $0.50 at Walmart & Dollar General during back to school sales,  Cra-Z-Art, normally $0.25 during back-to-school sales at Walmart,  Playskool which can be found at Dollar Tree (affiliate) and other dollar stores for $1, and  Dollar General offers a brand I*Magine often 3 for $1 or $0.33/$0.34 a piece at Back-to-school sales.  Also at Office Depot I got some Scholastic brand for $0.01.   All those prices are for 24 count except Playskool that is 36.  For those who are concerned about manufacture location:  most are made in China, Crayola is made in the USA or Mexico, you'll have to check the package.

First, how do they color?

You can see images and thoughts of our coloring test post here: Crayon Brands Coloring Test

Second, how do they hold up to heat?

UPDATE: Just wanted to be clear, OCC USA, encourage us to send them. They do not have any brand preferences, and has not had problems with any melting.  So, this is just extra info if it is still something that worries you, or you want reassurance-my research shows most hold up quite well at expected transit/storage temperatures validating OCC USA's stance. 

My understanding is that Australia & New Zealand have had so many problems with crayons melting in OCC shoeboxes, that they've added them to the "do no send"

Crayon Brands Coloring Test for Consideration in Packing In Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

At this time of year there are a great variety of prices of crayons at back to school sales:  from fifty cents to as inexpensive as a penny.  So many choices...how to choose!  We want to send nice things to the children in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, but we don't want to spend money just to get a name on the box.  So I decided to do some tests.

We tested five brands for both coloring quality and resistance to heat (that they might experience in transit).  The brands we tested were Crayola, which you can normally get for $0.50 at Walmart & Dollar General during back to school sales,  Cra-Z-Art, normally $0.25 during back-to-school sales at Walmart,  Playskool which can be found at Dollar Tree and other dollar stores for $1, and  Dollar General offers a brand I*Magine often 3 for $1 or $0.33/$0.34 a piece at Back-to-school sales.  Also at Office Depot I got some Scholastic brand for $0.01.   All those prices are for 24 count except Playskool that is 36.  For those who are concerned about manufacture location:  most are made in China, Crayola is made in the USA or Mexico, you'll have to check the package.  (This post contains marked affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links)

Now crayons exact make up may change from year to year, or from batch to batch, especially cheaper ones that may have less stringent controls, but this is the best info we can give you.

Edit to note: these were tested in 2016-how different brands make things can change over time.

First, how do they color?

Everyone has different preferences in coloring tools.  For instance, I prefer gel pens and hate ball point pens, but other members of my family like ball point and don't

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.

DIY Easy Coloring Books, Drawing Pads & Sketch Pads for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

I have had a hard time finding nice coloring books small enough to tuck easily into an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. I have often seen packers printing their own.  I've finally decided to take the plunge.  [I'll share the how-to's at the bottom

Upcycled Cards & Cardboard Tubes = Paper Holders for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Finished tubes.

I watched a long interview online of an OCC Representative talking about all aspects of  Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts.  I am sorry but I have no idea where I saw this or who it was, so I can't share it.  She began at one point showing what she had in her box and one thing stuck with me--an upcycled toilet paper roll tube.

She took the tube and wrapped it in pretty paper.  She then rolled the school paper she was including in the box and tucked it inside the tube.  It kept the paper from creasing and also looked pretty.  I knew I had to try this and also share it with you all.  As always, I added a twist to the original idea:  make tubes out of cards!

Greeting cards are already decorated and with a little free tape I had on hand it was a breeze to whip some up.  I am thinking some stick glue might work nicely, too, but I don't have much experience with it.  I just rolled my cards up and taped

Crochet Front Post Coin Purse, Jewelry Bag and Pencil Pouch Instructions ~ Designed for an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gift

When I posted my Simple Crocheted Stand-up, Drawstring Bag Instructions a reader, Pam, mentioned she may use it for a coin purse pattern and that she was looking for a new one for her Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes crafting. So I took to working on designing some for her.  This is the second one and as I was crocheting it I thought how it would also make a nice Jewelry Bag and if I kept adding rows it would make a great pencil pouch, too.  When I dug out some of my school supply stock pile I saw it could also hold a small solar calculator, a

Paper Pocket ~ Upcycling Gift Bags for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

I had some gift bags that I wanted to upcycle for my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes as the bright colors could really brighten the box for a child.  I remember a missionary telling our family that she collected the fronts of cards in America to give to the children in Chad, Africa because the surroundings were so dull there and that the families enjoyed using them as artwork to hang on their