Books, toys and play

Croydon ParkBox

Outdoor Toy and Book Libraries

ParkBox emerged from my frustration with constantly lugging my son’s toys and books to the park just to keep him entertained.

Shouldn’t they already be in the playground?

So I spoke with the incredible councillor Danielle Denton, and with a bit of support from The Shackleton Foundation and Croydon Council, we have been able to install 6 boxes in 6 parks in South Croydon.

I’d like to install more across the wider borough and, perhaps one day, across London and further afield.

To do this, we need your time and money to be able to build the best experience for your kids.

Thank you

Robert Dickinson

ps, huge shout out to the brilliant carpenter Mads Beyer who builds the libraries here in Croydon.

only 27% of children play outside regularly

Scrolling is stealing childhood – getting outside with families and friends is the only way to fix this.

Parkbox

What we do.

Books

We accept your donations and ensure the ParkBoxes are full of the very best books for young people.

Books develop and nourish kids’ imaginations, expanding their worlds. Picture books introduce young children to the world of art and literature. Novels and nonfiction books stimulate kids’ sensory awareness, helping kids to see, hear, taste, feel, and smell on an imagined level.

Toys

Like the books we accept toy donations and make sure the equipment is in working condition.

The concepts of games and toys have a very important role in children’s lives. It contributes to the development of cognitive, motor, psychosocial, emotional, and linguistic skills. It also plays a key role in raising self-confident, creative, and happy children.

Activities

We run regular activities near the ParkBoxes during the spring and summer and then indoors during the winter.

Coming together and sharing a love of reading, community and connection is really important. You can find our Baby Book Club and Wildflower Book Club listings on Happity. For £5 a session, your child will get a free book, and you as their adult get a drink. It’s lovely to connect.