Toy Library enriches children’s lives, learning through toy kits that can be borrowed
Miami Herald | By Christina Mayo | July 11, 2024
Imagine libraries where children could check out toy kits, even musical instruments, to enrich their lives through play.
That dream is now a reality thanks to a partnership between the Miami-Dade Public Library System and the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.
The Play It Forward South Florida Corp. is up and running its Toy Library for cardholders to borrow toy kits from the Main Library on West Flagler Street.
The mission is to make playtime accessible for all children in the community.
“Play is so important for child development,” said Abby Peskin, who created the program with Alina Farias.
“I’ve been dreaming of starting a toy library in Miami for years, and it’s finally a reality. I am so excited for the children of Miami to have free access to high-quality toys they can enjoy through the Llbrary, which will also enrich their lives.”
Peskin is a staff psychologist at UM and president of Play It Forward. Farias is a postdoctoral associate at the Miller School of Medicine at UM and Play it Forward’s treasurer. Both specialize in child psychology and have years of experience conducting play therapy to support the behavioral, social and emotional goals of children.
“Being a part of this initiative to increase equitable access to play has been an honor,” Farias said. “Play is how kids learn about the world around them, and every toy in our toy kits serves multiple purposes.”
The toy kits offered through the Play It Forward Toy Library are designed “to encourage open-ended, child-guided play and support development in many areas, including problem-solving, motor, cognitive, and language skills.”
To help Play It Forward move forward as a not-for-profit, the developers received pro bono legal advice from Win Rutherfurd, secretary of Play It Forward and an associate at the global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A.,
“Play It Forward is excited to continue to grow and expand the toy library in Miami-Dade and hopefully throughout South Florida,” Rutherfurd said. “We plan to actively engage with the community to encourage toy donations, fundraising and volunteering to support that goal.”
Rutherfurd continues to support Play It Forward’s legal needs on a pro bono basis.
A system where toy kits can be requested from any library branch in the county is currently in the works. That will mean families can check out items at their local library instead of needing to go to the main downtown branch.
There are now six toy companies who have partnered with the program to donate toys and bring awareness.
Plan Toys, a company focused on environmental sustainability, recently created a video and blog to highlight the toy library, and Alper JCC wants to work with Play It Forward South Florida to create a toy library with a focus on inclusivity for children with disabilities.
The program developers said they are thankful for the generosity of the community and toy companies for the current 300 toy sets in inventory. They are always looking for donations of gently used toys to reach more children.
Each toy kit is provided in a bag categorized by one of three different age groups: children 2 years old and under, children 3 to six years old, and children 7 to 9 years old.
Miami Children’s Museum is spearheading vital research in early learning as part of the Museum Playful Learning Collective. Jason Koerner
KIDS CAN BE OLYMPIANS AT MUSEUM
In the spirit of the Olympics, South Florida’s children can participate in mini sports events, create their own medals and learn about different cultures through interactive exhibits starting July 15-31 at the Miami Children’s Museum.
There will even be an Olympic Opening Weekend, July 27-28, complete with a grand opening ceremony and torch relay.
“We’re proud to offer a family-friendly way to introduce kids to the unity, teamwork and joy of the Olympic games right here at Miami Children’s Museum,” said Deborah Spiegelman, CEO of Miami Children’s Museum.
In addition to these events, the museum has other new initiatives including the Museum Playful Learning Collective, which the museum is spearheading.
“Museum Playful Learning Collective” that examines the impact of museum-based preschool education at more than 10 participating museums. The national initiative is funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Exhibit Images at the Miami Children’s Museum. Jason Koerner
The Museum Playful Learning Collective was launched at the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance’s summer conference during a panel titled “Unifying Museum Education: Leveraging Environments for Children’s Education.”
The panel explored key questions such as integrating early learning programs with existing museum exhibits, opportunities provided by museum programs and the collaboration between museum educators, classroom educators and curators.
“As the only museum-based K-5 school in the country, it was a natural fit for Miami Children’s Museum to take a leadership role in launching the Museum Playful Learning Collective and spearheading this vital research,” Spiegelman said.
“This initiative represents an unprecedented collaboration among museum educators, enabling the sharing of best practices, curriculum support and innovative educational strategies. Notably, it will also provide a pathway for museums to cement their importance in early childhood education.”
In addition to the launch, the Miami Children’s Museum and UM faculty have submitted a paper for peer review describing the museum gallery framework. They are also conducting a literature review of early childhood education in museums. Findings will be shared with other institutions in the Collective and beyond.
