How to Start a Toy Library in Your Neighbourhood

Every parent on your street has a cupboard full of toys their children played with for three weeks and then ignored, and every parent is also buying new ones because children outgrow things fast. That waste of money and space is exactly the gap a toy library fills. If you want to start a toy library in your neighbourhood, you do not need a shop front or a grant to begin. You need a room for two hours a week, a few committed volunteers and a simple system for lending and getting things back.

I have helped three groups set one up, two of which are still running years later. Here is what made the difference.

What a toy library actually does

A toy library works like a book library. Families join, borrow a few toys for two to three weeks, bring them back and swap for new ones. Most focus on children from birth to about eight years, since that is when toys are outgrown fastest and cost the most relative to how long they are used.

The best ones offer things families rarely want to buy outright: ride on toys, large wooden kitchens, baby gyms, balance bikes, construction sets with hundreds of pieces, party kits and sensory toys for children with additional needs. A good balance bike costs 60 to 90 pounds new and is used for perhaps 18 months. Lent through a library, it can serve ten families.

There is a quieter benefit too. Lending sessions become a weekly meeting point for parents of young children, many of whom are at home on parental leave and know almost nobody nearby. Several friendships in our first group started in the queue to return a toy kitchen.

Steps to start a toy library from scratch

1. Test the demand. Post a short question in local parent groups and on your neighbourhood WhatsApp group: would you pay a small yearly fee to borrow toys locally? Twenty or more keen replies is enough to start.
2. Find two co organisers. One person to run lending sessions, one to manage the stock and cleaning, one to handle money and membership. One person doing all three burns out within a year.
3. Secure a space. Church halls, community centres, libraries and children's centres often have a storage cupboard and a free hour or two each week. Ask for a free or reduced rate in exchange for a credit on your flyers. Storage matters more than the room itself.
4. Get insurance. Public liability cover for a small volunteer group typically costs 100 to 250 pounds a year. Some halls include it for user groups, so ask first.
5. Set membership fees. Most small toy libraries charge 10 to 30 pounds per family per year, with a reduced or free option for families on low incomes. Fees cover insurance, cleaning supplies and replacing broken items.
6. Build your first collection. Aim for 80 to 150 toys at launch. Ask for donations, but set clear rules on what you accept.
7. Choose a lending system. A shared spreadsheet works up to around 50 members. Beyond that, a free or low cost library app saves hours.
8. Launch with an open session. A Saturday morning launch with tea, a play area and sign up forms brings in far more members than a flyer alone.

Safety, cleaning and record keeping

Parents need to trust that toys are clean and safe. This is the part that turns a nice idea into a lasting service.

• Check every toy on return. Look for loose parts, cracks, sharp edges and missing pieces. A checklist taped inside the lid of each box makes this a two minute job.
• Clean between loans. Wipe hard toys with mild detergent and water, then a child safe disinfectant. Machine wash soft toys at 60C or take them out of circulation.
• Watch for recalls. Check the government product recall list every few months and remove anything listed.
• Label age ranges. Small parts that are fine for a five year old are a choking hazard for a baby. Colour coded stickers by age help volunteers and parents.
• Record everything. Note who borrowed what, when it is due back and its condition. This protects volunteers when something comes back broken.

Count the pieces in sets. A 120 piece marble run with 20 pieces missing is a disappointment, not a toy. Put pieces in clear zip bags with the count written on the label.

Why I tell groups to turn down most donations

The usual advice for any new community project is to accept every donation you are offered because you are starting from nothing. With toy libraries, I disagree. Within weeks of announcing, you will be offered bin bags of broken plastic, single puzzle pieces, outdated electronic toys without batteries and soft toys nobody wants. Accepting it all fills your storage with things you cannot lend and gives volunteers hours of sorting.

Publish a short list of what you want: sturdy, complete, clean toys under five years old, plus specific wishlist items like balance bikes or wooden train sets. Say no politely to the rest. A smaller collection of good toys keeps members borrowing. A big pile of tired ones makes families stop coming after the first visit.

Keeping it running past the first year

Most community projects lose momentum around month nine, when the founding energy fades. A few habits keep toy libraries going:

• Fixed session times. Same day, same time, every week. Families build it into their routine.
• A volunteer rota. Ask each member family to help at two sessions a year. With 60 families, that covers most of the year.
• Visible updates. Post new arrivals on social media and on physical boards. Our guide to how community noticeboards work in the digital age covers using both together.
• A small reserve fund. Keep three months of costs in the bank so a broken ride on toy or a room price rise does not threaten the whole project.

Some groups add a termly toy swap or a repair afternoon where handy volunteers fix broken items. Both bring in new members and cost very little. For more ideas on running projects that bring neighbours together, browse our community building stories and guides.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to start a toy library?

A small toy library can start for 200 to 500 pounds if most toys are donated and the space is free or cheap. The main costs are insurance, storage boxes, cleaning supplies and a few key toys. Membership fees then cover running costs.

Do you need a building to start a toy library?

No. Many toy libraries start in a hired church hall or community centre with lockable storage. Some even run from a garage or a mobile van. What matters most is secure storage and a regular weekly time for lending sessions.

How do toy libraries stop toys being lost or damaged?

Most ask families to sign a simple agreement and record every loan with its condition. Small late fees or a deposit for expensive items encourage returns. Accidental damage is usually accepted as part of running the service.