Your little one probably received a lot of toys last Christmas. And chances are, they also have a bunch of old toys that they no longer play with. Instead of throwing them away, why not give the toys to a worthy cause, such as the Philippine Toy Library?
What is the Philippine Toy Library?
The Philippine Toy Library was founded by husband and wife duo Edsel and Jen Ramirez, in an attempt to transform “idle spaces in barangays, schools, parishes, and partner organizations into fun and educational playrooms for the children in the community.”
The idea for a toy library came when they discovered that they had a lot of toys lying around, and their youngest daughter wasn’t interested in playing with her toys anymore.
They decided to start a family project to transform a space in their local barangay hall into a place where less fortunate children could have the opportunity to play.
The couple then sought help by asking for donations on Facebook. They were surprised by the extremely quick response, and they realized that their small project had the potential to become something bigger.
Eventually, their little project became the Philippine Toy Library, and they now have over 209 toy libraries throughout the country.
Spreading the joy of play
Source: Facebook.com
Edsel and Jen are still amazed at how big of an impact their “little project” can have on numerous communities.
Jen shares:
“Another time, a kid went up to my husband and said, ‘Kuya, thank you. Salamat sa toy library namin kasi ‘yung laruan na to, nakikita ko lang dati sa department store tapos hindi ko pwede hawakan kasi pinapaalis kami ng guard. Ngayon nalalaro ko na siya.”
She adds that it’s not just the kids, but their parents as well, who are grateful for what they’re doing. She mentioned that as a parent, she knows what it feels like to not be able to give something that her child wants.
That’s why she’s happy whenever she sees parents and kids playing and enjoying the toy library.
And it’s those experiences with kids and parents that make the project worth it.
Teach your kids to share
Teaching your kids to share what they have with other people is an important trait to teach your kids.
It’s an important life skill that helps build your child’s compassion, generosity, and willingness to help out other people. Here are some ways that you can teach sharing to your kids:
- Understand why some kids are hesitant to share. Knowing why your kid refuses to share can give you a better understanding of how to address their problems.
- Children under 2 1/2 typically have trouble sharing, so it would be best to not force children that young to share just yet.
- Never force a child to share. Forcing a child to share might send the wrong message and discourage them from sharing in the future.
- Set an example for your child. Your child learns from your actions, so if they see you being generous with what you have, they will follow your example.
- Give them opportunities to share. Encourage them to play with other kids, to share their food when they’re in school, as well as to cooperate with other kids.
Photos screen capped from Facebook.com
Sources: philippinetoylibrary.org, news.abs-cbn.com
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