It?s easy to just shut the door and pretend your playroom isn?t a dumping ground for every birthday present, party loot bag and art experiment. While lots of toys can be passed on or resold, here?s what to do with the stuff that usually ends up in the trash.
1. Tiny toy co.
That little partnerless doll shoe you found in between your couch cushions, or a random piece from a Lego set?basically any small toy or toy debris that can be named is something that this Canadian social enterprise wants. The company, founded by a teacher-librarian, up-cycles these items into educational kits.

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Why having more toys actually makes your kid boredSend toys or toy pieces that are no bigger than the palm of your hand to its Etobicoke, Ont., mailing address. Or, if you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you can drop them off at several locations. There are some exceptions to what they?ll accept, like doll clothes, broken plastic pieces and electronic toys, for instance, so it?s best to consult the Tiny Toy Co. website before sending toys in.
Endless scraps of paper, dried-out markers and pens with missing caps don?t have to end up in the landfill.
2. Staples
Mechanical pencils and used pens, markers, highlighters and their caps, can be returned to Staples Canada t...