The Northwest Denver Toy Library has moved into one of the spaces at the former Edgewater Community Church building at 2497 Fenton Street in Edgewater. Here’s more on this great community resource:
The NW Denver Toy Library opened in 1980, resulting from a joint effort between community members, parents and the Smiley Branch of the Denver Public Library and was housed at the Smiley Library. When Smiley closed in early 2020 for renovation, Toy Library moved to Edgewater in order to stay open and continue its moto of “Play. Share. Borrow”. Little did we know that the pandemic would temporarily close the doors anyway.
The Toy Library provides toys, games, puzzles and costumes to children and families on a check-out basis, free of charge, just like a library book. Most visitors play and then decide what items to check-out and take home for a couple of weeks, though some families just drop in to play for short time and some parents or care givers just pop in and check-out items without the little ones in tow. The NW Denver Toy Library is completely volunteer run and funded, and is the only free toy lending library in Colorado (as far as we know).
Toy Library has incorporated into the new space a Little Library just like the book cabinets you see out in the community, as well as a unique recycle center in an effort to keep crayons, pens & markers, ink cartridges, general-purpose alkaline batteries and plastic bottle caps out of the landfill.
The Toy Library is open Saturday mornings from 10 am to noon, though at some point we plan on having more shifts (as we did before the move and pandemic). Toy Library is located at 2497 Fenton St., Edgewater. Please note that masks or facial coverings are currently required when visiting. Pictures of sample inventory can be viewed on social media – just search for NW Denver Toy Library.
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
I have a large wooden box (20X14X15) of Lincoln Logs of various sizes that I would be happy to donate if you can use them. Just tell me where and when I can deliver them.
John Albers