Why join?

Raise Awareness of the Importance and the Value of Play
Membership of a toy library may increase a parent’s understanding of the importance of play, of the different types of play and the stages of development at which these types of play are of particular importance. They may learn how to make toys and will find a range of toys that will support their child’s development. Together, parents and children can choose toys that they find enjoyable.

Quality Items for Loan
Toy libraries select their toys based on the quality, robustness and value in terms of child’s enjoyment and opportunities to learn and develop. Member parents and carers have the opportunity to borrow these high quality items for up to four weeks. The child is exposed to a greater range of toys and the family saves money.

Toy Information Source
Toy Library staff/volunteers can pass their experience and knowledge about toys to members. Parents and carers can use the service as a ‘try before you buy,’ ultimately saving money by purchasing toys they know their child finds enjoyable.

Family Support
Toy Libraries offer a network of support for families. Parents and carers can meet informally, forge friendships and discuss their problems and concerns.

Strengthening Family Functioning
Toy Libraries help to develop confident parents who are motivated to spend time playing with their children.

Parenting can be an isolating experience, and toy libraries offer an informal, friendly venue to interact with other parents who are at a similar stage in their lives. This can also be a great way to meet new like-minded people if the family has just moved into a new area.

Being involved in a toy library – and committing to the participation required to make the toy library work – can really raise awareness and understanding of the importance of community. Members can gain confidence through carrying out their volunteer duties (such as staffing the library and helping with fundraising events), and can even learn some new skills along the way.

Caring for Our Environment
The ability to ‘try before you buy’ ensures money is not wasted on toys that your child will never play with. By sharing toys in the toy library community, not so many toys need to be purchased, and ultimately the amount of plastic and other material used to create the toys is reduced. Donating toys that your children have outgrown enables them to be recycled into the community and reduces the amount of landfill, had they been thrown away.