A vehicle for conversation: New mobile toy library to build children's literacy skills

The Rotary Club of West Tamar is launching a new mobile toy library, designed to build language and literacy skills in children.

Rotarian Sarah Dockrell said the facility is aimed towards children zero to four years of age. Parents, grandparents and caregivers are invited and encouraged to use the toy library to converse with their child and foster developmental learning.

With a background in speech pathology, Mrs Dockrell is passionate about "trying to strengthen language skills in children so that they are ready to learn".

"In this day and age, it seems terrible that we have problems with literacy in the area and the thing is, fingers are always pointed at the schools. But it's not. It's because the children aren't ready. And if their language is strong before they get there - it'll be much easier on them."

Mrs Dockrell was inspired by other toy libraries across Australia and applied for funding from various organisations, including the West Tamar Council and the Tasmanian Community Fund.

"We bought a second-hand van and filled it with toys. We really went for developmentally targeted toys," she said.

"The toys themselves are not the thing that promotes the language. It's the interaction between the parents and the child. You keep everybody's interest up in playtime - talking time - and because children's needs are changing constantly, we're also reducing landfill waste."

Rotarians from West Tamar will be driving the toy library around various community sites, including Beauty Point, Beaconsfield, Greens Beach, Gravelly Beach, Swan Point and Deviot.

"We're charging a nominal fee of $20 per child per year, mainly as a kind of way for people to take ownership of the toys, as if it's their facility."

The mobile toy library will be on display at the Exeter Show this weekend. For more information, visit https://www.themobiletoylibrary.org/.