We love toy libraries!

"Look at this cool exersaucer Mom got for me! These things go for big bucks here so I must be pretty darn special. And she got me lots of other cool stuff too. Did Christmas come early?"

No, Richie, Mommy just discovered a perk of belonging to the local Parents Centre, their toy library. The Parents Centre is a national organization in NZ with branches in nearly every city that provide parenting education and support. They run prenatal classes, which we took earlier this year, as well as baby and me classes and other mini-courses on parenting issues like toilet training, infant CPR, etc. As a member we also get discounts at local merchants who cater to kids.

But my new fave perk is their toy library. They have heaps of toys for kids from ages 0-teens as well as baby furniture and equipment that you can "hire" (NZ for rent) for ridiculously cheap prices. It's only open a few hours a week so I hadn't made it there til now but I'll definitely be back. I got Richie an exersaucer (a basic model rather than one of the really fancy ones since he can't reach much of the bells and whistles yet anyway), a brand new frog tummy time mat, a crib toy with mirror and a cool book/teether thing. Grand total for 6 weeks of use? $17NZ. That's about $10US. All of the toys were impeccably clean (you are supposed to clean the toy before you return it and if you don't you have to pay a cleaning fee) and the tummy time mat hadn't even been opened. In case you're wondering, yes I did run a sanitizing wipe over the exersaucer as an extra precaution but toys only stay clean in a house with an infant for so long anyway that I'm not worried about it (can I get an Amen from the moms?). I mean kids share toys at daycare so why not share toys in the comfort of your own home?

I think it's a great idea that works on so many levels:

• Environmental - Reusing all those plastic toys that will never biodegrade rather than producing more of them). 
• Educational - Tons of stimulation and ability to get toys suited for each stage of life. Each one "parent tested and approved."
• Economic - Prices start as low as 40 cents a week for toy rentals. Did I mention those exersaucers START at $150 here? I rest my case.
  
• Space-saving - You don't have to find storage for that huge exersaucer, bouncer, high chair etc that you may or may not use again with other kids.
• Social - Since the library is only open a few hours a week, you're sure to meet other like-minded parents there.

I could go on but I've got to get some rest now myself. Suffice to say toy libraries rock! (yes they have rockers too!)