By Melissa Meehan
In a consumer driven world, the ability to teach our kids that they don’t need to own everything is a privilege we don’t often have.
We can spend a small fortune on the latest toy for our little ones, only for them to grow out of them within a matter of months.
That’s where toy libraries come in.
Erin Krusic-Golub is the president of one of nine toy libraries in the Geelong Coast region.
She runs Grovedale Toy Library and is in close contact with others in the area.
“Whilst we each operate independently, we all share the same values towards play being essential for healthy childhood development, saving money for our members, and providing a sustainable solution towards play by borrowing rather than buying toys,” she told Kids Today.
“Many people think toy libraries are only for little babies and toddlers, however at Grovedale (and many of the other libraries), we have toys for older children too – complex puzzles, board games and logic games, imaginative play, literacy & numeracy toys, and STEM toys, including early coding toys such as Bee Bots, Sphero and Ozobots. Generally speaking, we all provide toys suitable from 0 to 8 years of age.”
And given the pressures of the rising costs of living, toy libraries are the perfect way to keep the kids entertained without spending the cash needed for clothes, electricity, bills or petrol.
“One of our newer members who joined at the start of this year with an annual double membership costing $75 has already borrowed over $2000 worth of toys in that time,” Ms Krusic-Golub said.
“Imagine how that can add up over the course of their membership.”
As children grow they develop interests in different types of things from animals, to cars and balls – and toy libraries are able to cater for that without parents having to go out and buy everything.
Toy libraries are non-for-profit, so they rely on donations from members and grants to purchase toys.
An annual membership fee allows you to borrow toys for a three week period – with the option of extending the hire.
Members are also asked to volunteer four hours a year.
REASONS TO JOIN YOUR LOCAL TOY LIBRARY:
*Toys that match your child’s developmental stage
*Save money
*Less toys cluttering your home
There are nine toy libraries in the Geelong Coast region including: Grovedale, Belmont, Geelong West, Surf Coast, Leopold, Ocean Grove and Portarlington, Drysdale and Queenscliff.
https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/directory/results.aspx?s=%&l=0&a=0&k=131&c=8791
