Toy Library launches sensory swap and play events for children with additional needs

The Toy Library, a social enterprise set up to help reduce and recycle plastic toys, has launched sensory swap and play events for children with additional needs.

The first event took place in the Aula Maxima in University College Cork (UCC), with a second event scheduled for the Kilnamanagh Family Resource Centre in Dublin on Sunday, April 12th.

The Toy Library is the country’s first digital toy-sharing platform and has hosted swap and play events around the country for the past 18 months. It has successfully reduced the amount of plastic toys being disposed of, with figures recorded at the end of 2025 showing 4.78 tonnes of plastic have been saved so far.

The sensory events offer families and children with additional needs a safe and welcoming play space with structured layouts, quieter zones and access to carefully selected developmental and sensory toys. The initiative was set up in response to feedback from parents within the Toy Library community.

The Toy Library prepared social stories – simple visual guides that help children understand what to expect in new or potentially overwhelming situations – and distributed them to families before the event. This was to support families and ensure children felt comfortable and confident when attending.

Trish Cleary was at the event in Cork and said: “The Social Story was a game changer for us – being able to show my daughter exactly what to expect helped her feel safe before we even arrived. My son, who has ASD, needed to stay in his stroller for most of the event, but thanks to the calm, spacious setup, he could still take it all in. Watching him feel comfortable enough to come out and play a game of chess with me was a moment I’ll really treasure.”

Another parent, Geraldine Harris, added: “My child has autism, and as a parent, you are always thinking about ways to enhance your child’s development. Sensory swap and play give you access to an array of toys and a new play experience for your child. It’s a place to network with other parents in your local community, swap toys your child no longer plays with and find something new that sparks their curiosity, all at no additional cost.”

The Toy Library has been working in partnership with ADHD Ireland and is hoping to expand the sensory swap and play events nationwide. The Toy Library is inviting other charities, local authorities and not-for-profit organisations working in the area of supporting children with additional needs to partner with them to help deliver more sensory swap and play events around the country.

Founder Giorgia Anile said, “Play is not just recreation, it is how children learn, connect, and build confidence. Parents in our community told us how transformative inclusive play environments can be for their children. One parent described it as the first time their child felt truly comfortable in a social play setting. That feedback made it clear we needed to expand this work.”