Children Celebrate Toy Library Launch at Reading Central Library

LITTLE library users in Reading are in for a treat, with the official launch of the town’s toy library at its new central location.

Reading Library Service’s Toy Library, which was previously housed in Southcote, has now moved to Reading Central Library and is housed in a fun new castle themed enclosure. The toy library will be officially launched this week on Thursday 31st January at 11.15am by the Mayor of Reading, Cllr Debs Edwards and Cllr Sarah Hacker, Reading’s Lead Member for Culture, Heritage and Recreation, supported by local children and a fairy princess. The celebration will also include a castle shaped cake! The toy library offers a fantastic selection of toys and games, catering for all ages, from babies to teens. The carefully selected resources include many that are appropriate for children with special needs. Good toys can be expensive to buy, children soon grow out of them and get bored. By borrowing them from a toy library instead, different toys can be enjoyed without the expense of buying new ones all the time. Toy Library - car Parents can choose from a wide selection of small, medium or large toys at a minimal cost. Toys on offer range from Duplo sets and push & ride walkers, musical instruments and story sacks, to popular indoor games like marble runs, puzzles and Lego. It is also an ideal way to hire larger indoor and outdoor games for children’s parties – with giant dominos, inflatable ball pits, large hoopla and giant snakes & ladders available. As well as families, registered childminders, early years settings and schools in Reading are also encouraged to make use of the toy library.

Cllr Sarah Hacker, Reading’s Lead Member for Culture, Heritage and Recreation, said:

“I’m absolutely delighted to celebrate the launch of the new toy library at Reading Central Library in its impressive new castle themed home. “Buying new toys can be difficult and expensive for parents. The toy library offers an ideal solution and is a fantastic resource to keep children of all ages active with new toys on a regular basis, or to hire large toys for a children’s party, for a minimal cost. “The new central location will also make it easier for families all over Reading to access the toy library.” Toy library The toy library is available during Central Library’s opening hours, which can be viewed here: www.reading.gov.uk/centrallibrary People no longer need to take out an annual membership fee to borrow toys – two toys can be taken out on an adult library card for up to three weeks, from 50p for small toys up to a maximum of £3 for the largest items. The giant toys need to be borrowed and returned to Central Library, but most small or large toys can be requested, collected and returned to any Reading library. For more information contact Central Library on 0118 901 5950. Browse and request items from the toy library online here https://library.reading.gov.uk

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Notes

Media opportunity: The media are invited to the launch of the new central Reading toy library on Thursday 31st January at 11.10am. The original Toy Library was launched in March 2003 by its patron, Martin Salter MP.