Toy Libraries November 4, 2018 at 2:12 am
In Spain, at the end of the Decade of the seventies, some public institutions decided to create or subsidize toy libraries of a permanent nature. After early studies and subsequent experiences, the idea has been extending and consolidating with different pace in different areas. They depend mostly on or receive subsidies from the municipalities or regional Governments, usually in the areas of children, youth and social services. They are located on separate premises, civic centres, open centres, centres of leisure, sports centres, houses of youth, etc. They are recreativo-educativas institutions that have distributed and decorated spaces for play, toys and recreational elements, workshops to design, build and repair toys and specialized educators. They are an alternative offered to children and sometimes to young people, to alleviate the socio-economic, pedagogical and cultural constraints that our society imposes on children in their own and more natural activity: the game.
They are a reality in the scope of an education in and for leisure. Each playroom, just like every school has its own way of being and doing, a line of educational action, a character given him by the General guidelines of the institution to which you belong or which receives support. The Organization and work of the team, responsible for people working in the playroom, is different according to the model. It would be sufficient to enter two toy libraries of one city to see the different shades. We can, however, make reference to the so-called Mediterranean or latino model and see how, in accordance with its human resources and materials, offer different services:-choice of good toys. -Loan of diversificadores elements of playful and very stimulating activity of various aspects of the personality. -Company in the game, with age groups and similar interests. -Need to have rules for the correct use of the material and to acquire habits civic respect and coexistence.
-Play with stimulating atmosphere spaces. -Guidance and support of educators to introduce users to new games. -Empowerment of the traditional game. -Reduction of the possible economic wastage by the excessive purchase of toys at the family level. -Workshops of design and manufacture of toys with creative goals. -Analysis of toys with consumerist objectives or education for consumption. -Almost all are open to the neighborhood, the city, to the region. Some receive visits from schools during school hours. Almost all work coordinated or intervention or specific advice with other socio-cultural entities.
