Victoria’s toy libraries are ready to do more for children and families
- Debbie Williams
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Toy Libraries Australia is calling on Victorian political parties and candidates to back a practical, cost-effective investment in toy libraries. With ongoing funding toy libraries can reach more children, reduce pressure on families, support inclusion, and strengthen local communities.
Across Victoria, toy libraries are
helping families access high-quality educational toys, games and puzzles without the cost of buying everything new.
places for connection where parents, carers, grandparents and children learn through play, volunteer, and feel part of their local community.
Ahead of the 2026 Victorian state election, Toy Libraries Australia is asking parties to support a targeted investment of $5 million p.a. that would help toy libraries reach more families who need them.
Victoria currently has 151 toy libraries, supporting around 56,000 people and 26,000 children each year, with the help of 8,000 volunteers. Yet despite their reach and impact, toy libraries receive comparatively little ongoing government support, and current Victorian Government funding ends in June 2027.
Our 2026 Victorian election ask
Toy Libraries Australia is calling for four practical commitments:
1. Support toy libraries to reach more Victorian kids
Flexible, ongoing operational funding to help existing toy libraries expand opening hours, improve accessibility, support volunteers, and reach more families experiencing cost-of-living pressure or barriers to participation.
2. Embed toy libraries within Thriving Kids
Funding for 40 enhanced toy libraries as a best-practice universal support within Thriving Kids. Enhanced toy libraries would provide trained staff, guided toy selection, peer connection and links to local services supporting for families with children experiencing developmental concerns, delay or disability.
3. Establish new toy libraries
A flexible grants pool to help communities establish new toy libraries where they are needed most.
4. Support TLA’s sector development role Funding TLA to builds knowledge, capacity and confidence in the volunteers that run toy libraries, including in the areas of governance, compliance and risk management.
Why it matters
Toy libraries are low-cost, high-impact community infrastructure. Independent social return on investment research found toy libraries generate $11 in value for every dollar governments invest.
The need is real. Wyndham Little Buddies Toy Library has seen families walk away from an $80 annual membership because even small costs are now too expensive. At the same time, working families are struggling to attend during limited opening hours. As President Kirsten Marran put it, without baseline funding, she is “not sure what more we can do.”
Help us make the case
Toy libraries are ready to support Victoria’s early years, inclusion, cost-of-living, volunteering and community wellbeing priorities. Now they need sustainable funding to match their value.
Download TLA’s 2026 Victorian Election ask and
share it with your local MP or candidate.
Together, we can help every Victorian child access the power of play.
