The Merry-Go-Round Toy Library is a free stay and play group for children up to five years old and their carers. The library has a wide range of toys which families can borrow for short periods for a small fee.
This activity is good for wellbeing because
- Children and their carers can meet new people;
- Children can have the opportunity to play with a wider range of toys than they have available at home (for space or income reasons);
- It provides an opportunity to learn, practically, about the value of borrowing and sharing rather than owning.
”I am fairly new to the toy library but it has already been a valuable social and fun experience to bring the kids and to meet other parents and their children in our local community. I like the idea that the kids can borrow toys as it reduces waste and we recently moved back to the UK so the children didn’t have many toys”.
How to contact
Website
Where to go
Ross Street Community Centre
Ross Street
Cambridge CB1 3UZ
UK
What to expect
The stay and play sessions are held twice a month at Ross Street Community Centre. Children aged five and under and their carers are welcome to come along and play for free.
If you would like to borrow toys to take home, you can sign up for lifetime membership for a small fee. Once you are a member you pay a small amount to borrow toys from one session to the next.
For information about the dates and times of sessions, and borrowing costs visit the Merry Go Round Toy Library website.
More information
The group meet in the large hall at Ross Street Community Centre. It is a wheelchair accessible building with automatic doors and an accessible toilet. Baby changing facilities are available and the hall has a kitchen where drinking water can be obtained.
There is a small car park outside the community centre and free street parking is also available locally. There are cycle racks just outside the building.
There is a park nearby which is perfect for picnics in the summer, after the morning stay and play has finished.
Volunteering opportunities
The Toy Library has been running out of Ross St Community Centre since the 90s. It is run solely by volunteers, and they are always keen to welcome more volunteers to help the sessions run more smoothly. If you are interested in helping out email [email protected]
Attending the stay and play sessions is free.
To borrow toys between sessions you will need to pay a one-off small membership fee, and then a small charge per item.
How to contact
Website
Where to go
Ross Street Community Centre
Ross Street
Cambridge CB1 3UZ
UK
