The Wangaratta Community Toy Library is a not-for-profit toy lending service that provides access to a variety of educational toys to assist with childhood development.
We believe that every child should have toys to play with. We recognise that some toys cost a lot of money and kids easily lose interest in them. We’re proud to provide an inexpensive service where people with children can borrow from a vast array of well-made toys that have been designed to support a child’s skills development and imagination.
For almost forty years our toy library has delivered services that directly benefit the Wangaratta community socially, culturally, economically and in environmental ways
Parents, carers and community groups can borrow from hundreds of quality toys and expose their child to a greater range of play experiences that contribute to their skills development.
Borrowing toys helps reduce toy waste to landfill. Parents, carers and groups can reduce clutter by borrowing, rather than buying, large toys such as bikes, scooters, toy kitchens, small basketball hoops and slides.
Our toy library is a way for parents and carers of young children to meet and to volunteer. This is especially important for new parents and those who have moved to Wangaratta and don’t yet have a parenting network.
Our toy library is also a great resource for maternal, child and family health nurses, allied health professionals, early years educators and their clients.
It makes economic sense for local families to join our toy library. They’ll save money by borrowing toys each week rather than buying them and will be able to hire the jumping castle and the Party Packs which have everything needed for a little person party, including party games, tables and chairs.
Borrowing from our toy library allows parents to ‘try before they buy’ expensive educational toys – a sustainable and cost- effective option for parents given how quickly children grow out of toys.
The Wangaratta Community Toy Library relies solely on the goodwill and work of our volunteers, fundraising activities, grant applications and generous support of the Rural City of Wangaratta to continue providing this wonderful service to our community.