Toy Library
Donate to EarlyEd's Cubby House Toy Library Today!
Help us to lend more toys to more families and keep toys out of landfill.
Where is the Main Toy Library?
The Toy Library is located at the rear of Forestville Senior Citizens’ Centre
Cnr Starkey Street & Warringah Road, Forestville.
Parking is available adjacent to the library on the southern side of the Memorial Hall.
Toy Library Hours of Operation
In-person browsing/borrowing, no appointment required, at Forestville:
Mondays 12.00pm to 2.30pm
Thursdays 10.00am to 2.00pm
Click ‘N’ Collect with pick-ups available by appointment:
Forestville
Mondays 12:00pm to 2:30pm
Wednesdays 11:00am to 11:30am
Thursdays 10:00am to 2.00pm
North SydneyTuesdays 11.00am to 12.30pm
Wednesdays 11.00am to 12.30pm
Northern Beaches Council Library Manly
Thursdays 10.30am to 11.00am
Northern Beaches Council Library Mona Vale
Thursdays 10.30am to 11.00am
About the Toy Library
What is the cost?
12 month membership:
- General public: $100 per year (plus $30 bond)
- EarlyEd families: $80 per year ($0 bond)
Are you a concession or pension card holder? If you need any financial assistance to access the toy library then please speak with one of the toy library staff.
Loan period
Up to 4 weeks. Families may change toys more frequently.
Number of items per loan
5 Toys and 5 Children’s Books or Parent References.
Joining for Agencies
Enquire online or call us on (02) 9923 2727 for more information. Call us to discuss your needs with our staff, or to make an appointment.
To Donate
- Specialist toys or equipment in good condition:
Please contact us if you wish to donate items.
- Volunteer costs / Coordinator costs:
Our current funding does not cover all our costs to run the toy library.
Whatever way you look at it, your donation is supporting the lives of families, learning by children and environment in your community.
Cubby House Toy Library is part of EarlyEd, which is a registered charity, and all donations above $2.00 are tax deductible.
Individual Therapy Appointments
Book an individual appointment with an EarlyEd Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Speech Pathologist. Available to members at $193.99 by appointment only.
Toys, Games and Books available
EarlyEd’s Toy Library has a wide range of toys, games, books, and therapy/gross motor equipment. We also have a parents’ reference library providing books on topics including speech, language and learning difficulties.
Hygiene
Families are required to clean toys before returning them. Please advise staff if there has been any illness or COVID infections recently in the home, so staff can take additional measures.
Play ideas – for all children
Click here to find out about other ways to support your child’s play. These ideas are low cost, no costs and great for children at all developmental levels. We know families are busy so we select ideas that are family friendly.
By being low cost, no costs they are also sustainable.
They cover active play, nature play, play in everyday environments, exploratory play. They support all key learning areas – literacy, numeracy, science, physical development, social, communication, cognitive.
Toy are great fun and motivate learning but don’t forget about the important learning opportunities that occur across the day every day.
Early Childhood Settings
The Cubby House Toy Library provides early childhood centres with access to a range of toys and resources suitable for young children. EarlyEd can also support your staff with ideas and strategies that can be used to encourage development while in engaging in play. Contact us to learn more.
Reuse, Recycle and Repair
To donate:
The Toy Library is in need of quality, well maintained, clean toys. We can’t use soft toys.
Please contact us if you wish to donate specialist toys or equipment in good condition so that we can check that it is what the library is in need of.
Involved with recycling:
EarlyEd is committed to supporting reuse, recycling and repair approaches in the community and keeping toys out of our waste. Please be in touch if there are ways we can be more involved with these community approaches.
There are many organisations in the local community that are happy to recycle toys and may also repair them. Go to https://recyclingnearyou.com.au for local recycling opportunities.
This Northern Beaches Council link shares local waste reduction opportunities.
Cubby House Toy Library Supporters
Cubby House Toy Library couldn’t have operated and delivered support and early education experiences for over 40 years without the support of our community. Apart from our amazing volunteers and members the toy library has some key community supporters.
Over the years Northern Beaches Council has always supported the library with accommodation. Recently a partnership with Northern Beaches Council Libraries has resulted in the Toy Library establishing Click and Collect sites at Manly and Mona Vale after a trial starting in April 2023.
The NSW Department of Education is contributing to the library’s operation under Start Strong Pathways funding. This funding ensures the availability of a consistent coordinator to manage the operations of the library and involvement of an educator and allied health practitioners to support toy choice and advice for individual family members.
Where would be though without the support of ClubGrants particularly Dee Why RSL?
Manly Warringah Rugby League Club, Pittwater RSL, The Beach Collaroy and Forestville RSL have also over the years contributed to the support of the toy library.
North Sydney Leagues Club Ltd ClubGrants have contributed to funding EarlyEd to offer an off-site Click and Collect drop off and pick-up service at EarlyEd’s North Sydney office.
All these contributions help us to reach more families.
Click the image to download the Cubby House
Toy Library Brochure
Click the image to download the Cubby House
Toy Library History Brochure
