I didn’t truly understand the saying “like a toddler with a new toy” until I had a toddler of my own. Like all kids my almost three year old loves nothing more than a new toy but is quick to discard the object of her affection as soon as another new shiny piece of plastic comes along. I felt pretty awful about the impact of her new toy obsession on not only the environment but also my wallet so was delighted to discover the Collingwood Toy Library at Victoria Park in Abbotsford.
For $70 a year plus two mornings volunteering in Collingwood Toy Library you can borrow three toys as often as you like, with a maximum loan period of two weeks.
The library has a great range of toys including ride on cars, dress ups, dolls, scooters, puzzles and lego. It includes the sort of tasteful wooden toys that parents love and garish noisy plastic toys that parents hate but kids love!
Initially I used to choose the toys for Miss Three but now she is old enough to enjoy going in and picking toys out for herself. Sometimes she is so smitten with a toy that I think she is really going to struggle when it’s time to return it. But true to form, generally when we get to the end of the two week loan period the toys she’s borrowed are generally lying in a corner neglected.
You can save the environment, your money, your sanity and declutter your house by joining up at the Collingwood Toy Library or one of the many similar toy libraries around Melbourne. Check out the full list of toy libraries in Melbourne.
HOT Tips:
- Membership is $70 plus 2 mornings volunteering;
- Toys can be borrowed for maximum two weeks;
- Family memberships are available at $80 a year with three toys per child.
- You can pay an additional fee if you don’t want to volunteer at the toy library although I’ve found volunteering (which involves cleaning and sorting toys) is a good way to get to discover all the toys on offer and you can bring your kids along who generally love being in a toy library for a whole morning.
- Collingwood Toy Library is open to all families in the City of Yarra. Check this list or your local council website to find a toy library near you;
- limited street parking; and
- close to Victoria Park train station and bus stops along Johnston Street.
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