Toy Library

Regarding the CRC programme that I had attended a few days ago, I remember an article that I wrote a couple of years back. I wrote this in 2007. It was on Toy Library. Back then, it was something new in Malaysia and guess what? it still is. =P

Toy Library

The concept of pre-reading or reading readiness stresses the need for a child to master many developmental and cognitive skills before the child can begin to learn to read. One way in which children can master these skills is through play.

Play has been widely recognised as an important part of a child's growth and education. It is a happy activity for children and it is also a child's work. When children play they gather information about the world around them. Play stimulates intellectual, emotional, social and physical development. Toys are a major element in helping to play and learn.

A toy library welcomes children, their families and caregivers to come and to borrow well designed toys, games, puzzles and equipment, which are made available at minimal cost. It is established to provide educational toys that help to develop pre-reading skills such as hand-eye coordination, large and small motor skills, and manipulative and cognitive skills involving shapes, colours and size. Toy libraries are under the Children’s library, beside the Children Academics library. It varies from library to library but operates along similar lines to public libraries. The members borrow toys for a fixed time period. The time period will be up to the library. Toy libraries cater mainly for pre-school children and generally have a limit on the number of toys that can be borrowed at each visit. It may be located in the local scout hall or within the municipal library, have 20 families who are members or 250, employ a staff member or rely totally on their members doing roster duty.

Toy libraries are not necessarily for children only. Families can borrow toys or games suitable for them all to play with. People confined to bed or home, whether young or old enjoy jigsaw puzzles, and many adults find enjoyment and employment in working with a toy library. For parents, the library can be a place where they can share experiences with staff and other parents. A toy library can offer friendship as well as toys. Toys are carefully chosen to stand up to a lot of use by young children. Care is also taken into account to ensure that toys are clean, complete and in good condition. This is to ensure that broken toys will not injure the children and incomplete toys would not bother the future users.

A toy library is a place where parents or carers can go to borrow a large variety of educational toys, puzzles and games on a regular basis. Toy libraries aim to support families and encourage them to spend time playing with their children. Quality toys are expensive and children quickly become bored with a toy once its play value has been exhausted. By providing new play materials every week or two, parents can save money and significantly contribute towards the development and education of their children.

As a conclusion, more toy libraries should be set up in Malaysia for the benefits of Malaysians especially the young ones. Government and non-government organisation should take steps to introduce more toy library in all over Malaysia. At the moment there are only a few toy libraries in Malaysia, for an example Institute of Early Years Development (IEYD) in Damansara Perdana and YMCA Toy Library in Klang Valley. Toy libraries in Malaysia is only available in the urban area and not elsewhere. Efforts should be taken to give the chance to all Malaysian to enjoy the service of toy library. Today children are tomorrow leader.