Hooray! Adam was here all day installing our new cubby and sandpit … doesn’t it all look 👀 great. Thanks Castle and Cubby. We love it.

All the bits and pieces.

The walls going up.

The roof going on.

We just need to fill the sandpit up now … and plant out the garden beds.

And look, some new outdoor tables as well … pop past for a play!

We’ve recently updated our inside furniture, including more flexible tables for our playgroups.

We run activities for young families every weekday at ACC, including a variety of playgroups, playtime in the garden, toy library and arty gardening. We also have Lego after school.

In addition we’ve bought some lovely new chairs for bigger people … which are used for ukulele, book clubs, AAA art, craft club, armchair theatre … and all the other things we run here.

Here’s a picture or two.

Today some pictures of Mark from Pacific Australis placing beautiful natural stone paving in our front garden. We’re very excited that this is finally happening. Once Mark is done we’ll finish off the area next to the building with a pergola - thanks to a Federal Government Stronger Communities grant.

We’re hoping to make our front garden a more attractive and handy place for playgroup families and other users. Particularly in COVID times when being outdoors is safer than being indoors.

The pergola out the front of the shed has been fabulous, and we’re hoping our front garden will also be much more multipurpose when this work is complete. The final element we’ll be adding is a new cubby and sandpit - which has been ordered and should be arriving in a few weeks.

Did you know that we have a Toy Library at ACC? We’re noticing that there are increased numbers of people around the neighbourhood living a life that is more family friendly with flexible hours and working from home options. And as a result we’re also noticing that our Toy Library use is growing every week. We’ve welcomed at least 10 new families to the Toy Library over the last month or two and it is so wonderful to think that all those great toys that have been carefully collected and lovingly cared for, for so many years, are getting an outing!

If you know any young families who might like to access a wide range of toys in a sustainable way (ie. borrowing them for up to a month rather than buying them) then point them in our direction.

The Alphington Toy Library costs $30 per year to join (a bargain). Families can borrow up to 4 toys at a time. And we have loads of toys to borrow!

We’re also building up some toy packs that can be booked online and collected any time we are open - ideal for families that can’t pop in and browse themselves. Working families can keep an eye out for these - coming any day now!

Our Toy Library is generally open on Wednesday mornings from 10am-12pm. The opening time coincides with Playtime in the Garden - so you can borrow toys and then also hang out here enjoying our sandpit and some outside craft activities (set up weekly by Lee).

Click here to find out more and/or to join up. Or pop past on a Wednesday to see if it is for you!

This term our garden is open for young families to come and have a play on Wednesday mornings from 10am-12pm.

We’ve got the sandpit open, the toys out, ride-ons at the ready and some crafty activities set up.

If you’re looking for a change from the local park you can pop past with a coffee from the cafe, or an icy pole from the milkbar, and make yourself at home.