Still trying to shake the feeling of Christmas excess?

Kickstart 2025 with a feel-good, eco-friendly event the whole family can enjoy.

On Sunday, January 19th, head to the Aula Maxima at University College Cork for The Toy Library Circular New Year—an event that combines fun, sustainability, and the joy of sharing.

From 11am to 2pm, you’ll be swapping toys, getting crafty, and making some seriously sustainable New Year’s resolutions. The idea? Give your unwanted toys a second life while scoring some new treasures for your little ones, all in the spirit of reducing, reusing, and recirculating.

Here’s what’s on the agenda:

• Toy Swap & Play: Got toys gathering dust? Bring up to five in good condition (nothing broken or missing, folks!) and swap them for new goodies. Don’t have toys to swap? No worries! You’re still welcome to take home whatever catches your eye.
• Eco-Crafting Corner: Channel your inner Picasso with eco-friendly, upcycled crafting activities for all ages. Fun, creative, and planet-positive.
• New Year’s Resolution Tree: Set your green goals for 2025; write your sustainability resolution on a paper leaf and add it to the growing tree of hope for a greener future.
• Teddy Bear Hospital: Is your kid’s favourite teddy in need of a check-up? Bring it along for a free “consultation” with the UCC Medical Society and Surgeon Noonan. There’ll even be face painting for the kids while they wait.
• Raffle & Prizes: Enter the raffle for a chance to win some fantastic prizes.
• Cookies & Tea: Nothing says “family event” like warm drinks and homemade cookies, served up by the lovely volunteers.

How does the Toy Swap work?
It’s simple! Bring up to five toys in great condition, and take home as many as you like. No pressure to donate—just go along, swap, and enjoy the fun. Extra small or extra-large items? Pop them online for the Toy Library community.

Anything left ove will be donated to local charities and libraries, including Down Syndrome Cork and the Child and Family Support Network, spreading the love even further.

Want to go along? Sign up for a free ticket here.