Hackney Family Backup have a small Toy and Resource library which is available to any family with a disabled child living within the borough of Hackney. The library is also available to our carers and volunteers who might want to borrow toys for the children they're working with. The library is based in our offices in The Print House, Ashwin Street.

We have a wide variety of items available for loan including:

• Children's books

• Physical toys such as playtents, balls, giant inflatables, small trampolines, dance mats etc

• A large range of sensory toys and equipment such as massage mats, space projectors, fibre optics lights, foot spas, aromatherapy sets, bubble machines etc

• Musical instruments such as xylophones, rainsticks, windchimes, drums, shakers etc

• Puzzles including floor puzzles, posting and sorting toys, sound puzzles etc

• Switch operated toys - toys that are adapted for use with a switch such as Percy Pig who walks and snorts when the switch is activated!

• Puppets. Karlos and Paula the Makaton puppets, an exotic bird puppet that has a very convincing call, emotion puppets - hand toys each with different expressions - happy, sad, angry etc

• Art and craft materials - we have a range of art packs, which can be taken free of charge for creative and messy play!

• We have a small range of informative books and videos on subjects that parents or carers and volunteers may find useful.

This list will hopefully give you an idea of the kind of toys available but there are plenty more besides so it is always worth coming to the library and having a look at what we've got. We always welcome any suggestions from parents or children for new toys for the library so please let us know if you don't see something you'd like.

If you would like to join the toy library, you will need to contact us to make an appointment. You will need to bring with you two proofs of identity and address e.g. a household bill, bank statement, photo driving licence etc. The library is free to join and you can borrow up to a maximum of five toys for up to three months at a time.