OUR TOYS 

Active toys enhance gross motor skills which is the use of the large, core muscles of the body. This is important for everyday activities such as standing, walking, running, jumping and sitting up. They also help develop coordination skills that are essential for throwing, catching, kicking and balance for activities such as riding a bike.

Toys you may find in this group are mainly those that are suitable for outdoor play such as slides, trikes, balance bikes, balance boards, climbing equipment, sand and water play, rollercoasters, sporting sets such as a basketball hoops and ten pin bowling, scooters and crawling tunnels.

These toys are used to promote tummy time, fine motor development, sensory development, encourage upright sitting and crawling, posting (which is dropping objects into different containers)

These toys may include activity walkers, squeaky toys, baby ride-ons, rattles, mirrors, xylophones, large balls, toys with buttons and music, blocks, toys with lids and tubs.

These types of toys promote imagination, introduce children to real-world scenarios such as cooking and cleaning, promote social and language skills, critical thinking, enhance expression and emotional development.

These toys may include doll houses, people and animal figurines, prams, tool benches, vet and doctor sets, toy kitchens, ovens and washing machines.

Construction play helps to develop creativity, concentration, spatial awareness, shape recognition, problem solving, hand-eye coordination, social skills and language skills

These toys may include building blocks, duplo/lego, magnetic tiles and stacking toys.

Playing with toy vehicles can enhance fine motor skills such as reaching, pulling, pushing bending, balancing and coordinating. They can also enhance social and language skills.

Transport vehicles include cars, trucks, trains, caravans, ice cream trucks, planes, helicopters, boats, submarines and rocket ships.

Games can positively impact children of pre-school age and up and those with symptoms associated with ADHD. Games such as Day & Night or The Three Little Pigs games can be played alone. However, competitive and cooperative board and card games can help to connect family and friends. Games can increase prosocial behaviours such as sharing, complimenting, and helping others. They can also help develop arithmetic, language skills, problem solving. 

The different types of games may include board games, garden games, floor games, 3D games, card games and interactive games.

Puzzles can help to develop problem solving skills, visual-spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, social skills and fine motor skills such as grasping a puzzle piece.

There are many different types of puzzles such as large floor puzzles, chunky wooden puzzles, sound-making puzzles, stacking puzzles, shape puzzles and regular cardboard picture puzzles. 

Musical instruments have many developmental benefits for young children. They can stimulate brain growth, language and mathematical skills, increase memory, concentration and attention. They can also help to achieve a sense of achievement and joy.

These may include keyboards, tambourines, drums, wooden musical instruments, microphones, bells and percussion instruments.

Kids love to play dress up! It encourages their creativity, language and social skills, teamwork, cooperation and sharing. The use of buttons, zippers and snaps can also help develop fine motor skills.

Costumes at the toy library include animal costumes, superhero costumes, doctor and police costumes, fairytale costumes and many more.

Kids are inquisitive and love to explore the world around them. Hands-on experiments and tools can help them learn about the natural world through observation, asking questions, making predictions and gaining understanding.

These toys include science labs, dinosaur dig sets, binoculars, microscopes, bug barns, laptops, scales and sand rollers.