General News
4 August, 2025
Toy library means a lot to struggling families
THE Cairns Toy Library recently joined a national campaign by inviting local children’s author Lachlann Carter to volunteer, celebrating play-based learning and the vital role toy libraries play in the community.
Held as part of Toy Libraries Australia’s ‘Join Us in July’ initiative, the campaign aimed to spotlight toy libraries through hands-on support from community figures, including authors, artists and educators.
For Mr Carter, who is the creator of the ‘Big Trouble’ series, it was a natural fit.
“There’s a volunteer here whose daughter goes to the same school as my children and she asked me if I would like to be a part of this,” he said.
“And it is a place dedicated to imagination and play, and so it really speaks to me.”
Mr Carter, who describes his illustrated books as “exploded comics,” spent time meeting families and helping at the library’s Pease St premises.
A former primary teacher and co-founder of the 100 Story Building in Melbourne, he said access to toys and creative tools was fundamental to childhood development.
“I can’t actually imagine a world where play isn’t a part of a child’s life – it’s how they live, how they learn and how they experience the world,” he said.
“And particularly with cost of living going up, ensuring continued access to toys is crucial.”
Toy Library founder and president Ailsa Horsburgh, who first started the Cairns service in the early 1980s, said the library now supported nearly 150 local families and saved each one an average of $2500 a year.
“We keep our membership fees incredibly low,” she said.
“Most people will become members and volunteer, which is what we want. We want people to volunteer and own the service. We’re really about creating a family approach to play, not children playing on their own, but children playing with their parents and creating memories,” Ms Horsburgh said.
For more information or to get involved, visit https://bit.ly/3TQQj8s
You can also find the Cairns Toy Library on Facebook.
