Toy Library delivers summer holiday support to children and families in Cambridgeshire
A Fenland-based toy library is continuing to support children with additional needs or disabilities during the school summer holidays.
The Sensory Toy Library, run by east of England charity Ormiston Families from Queens Street in March, will remain open throughout August to continue providing sensory and educational toys to local children free of charge.
After 18 months in which families of children with additional needs may have found sufficient support and resources difficult to come by, the library is continuing to operate outside of term-time to assist families as their other routes of support temporarily close.
Over 50 families and professionals are registered to borrow toys from the library, with the majority of these likely to still require the service during the summer holidays.
Anna Palmer, senior practitioner at the Sensory Toy Library, spoke of the importance of services such as this remaining open during the school holidays.
“Six weeks can feel like such a long period for those caring for children with additional needs to not have access to their usual resources,” she explained.
“Being able to make use of a resource such as the toy library can make a big difference to these families and carers.”
“It’s important to us that they know they can make full use of the sensory library during the summer holidays so that the children they care for can continue to learn after a stop-start 18 months.”
The library will remain open on Tuesdays between 11am and 2pm and Wednesdays between 3pm and 6pm, allowing parents to borrow as many as three toys that can be kept for up to four weeks.
Parents can borrow toys that aid their children’s sensory development by stimulating sight, smell, touch and hearing, as well as offering toys and activities that improve motor skills and balance.
The library’s full range of toys can be browsed and booked online before being collected from Ormiston Families in March.
For more information and to book toys, visit Ormiston Families’ website: www.ormiston.org/sensorytoylibrary
