Making my way through life as a first time mum in Walthamstow

Monday 25 February 2013

Walthamstow Toy Library



Walthamstow Toy Library

After the first hectic few months of maternity leave, things began to settle into a more organised weekly routine of playgroups, NCT mums meet-ups and plenty of coffee and lunch dates! We are very lucky in Walthamstow to have a wealth of organised activity and play sessions, enough to fill every morning and afternoon of the week if you have the energy! One of my regular play sessions was at Walthamstow Toy Library, where I went nearly every Tuesday afternoon for the under 18-months play session. The Toy Library is a fabulous little place, run by a charity, where you can come with your little one for an afternoon of fun and games. For the under 18-month session, each week had a different theme, ranging from active play where the more mobile kids can crawl and toddle around to their hearts content over an obstacle course of soft play blocks, to heuristic play, where the babies can find and explore every day and natural items such as egg boxes and pine cones. Each session ends with a 20 minute sing along session where the babies can take turns to pull a toy out of the song bag and we all sing the relevant song. This is where I re-learned the words to all the old nursery rhymes and picked up a few new classics along the way (The Dingle-Dangle Scarecrow anyone?). It was great after a few weeks to keep seeing the same faces and make new Walthamstow mum friends. I think it was one of baby M's favourite activities and in fact he even crawled for the first time on one of the sessions! (Inspired by watching the slightly older babies I think) The play sessions are very popular, and sometimes people are turned away after the session is full, so make sure you get there on time!
The toy Library can be found next to the Comely Bank community clinic on Ravenswood Road. Check out the latest information on play sessions and room hire here: Walthamstow Toy Library