Diaper Exchange

Are you thinking about using cloth diapers, but don't want to make the investment before testing them out?!

Well..... guess what? YOU CAN! The BCT (Basel Children's Trust) antenatal trainer and sling expert, Susie Atkinson, also heads up a cloth diaper borrowing program. You can try them out for a bit and then give them back all washed up.

Great idea, huh?

You can send an inquiry to this link:
http://www.baselchildrenstrust.ch/contact-bct.html
Choose "antenatal" from the scroll down menu and type in your information and message.

Toy library? No way!

Attention all parents and grandparents!! Are you overwhelmed by the extreme abundance of toys in your house? Are most of these aforementioned toys sitting the bench? Rotation is key!

Instead of buying new toys at every single occasion, think about signing up for a toy loan program!!

Here in Saint-Louis we have what's called the Ludothèque - it's a library of toys and games for all ages. All I had to do was sign up and pay a small fee. (A regular membership costs 40 euros). Wonderful!

For more information check out this link:
http://www.saint-louis.fr/index.php/Ludothèque-municipale?idpage=44&afficheMenuContextuel=true

Also new in town (or in the US since the concept has been around the block in Europe and Canada) is online toy borrowing sites. Do an internet search and find one in your area! This, however, costs a LOT more than our local bibliothèque de jeu. Another idea is to start a toy exchange with other parents or grandparents!

I'm sure you will enjoy seeing new, not more, toys around the house too!

JUKIBU!

JUKIBU? An exclamation of hope? A kind of animal? A foreign word for sure!

Well... it's the children's library in Basel! JUKIBU means "Interkulturelle Bibliothek fur Kinder und Jugendliche"or in English, the Intercultural Library for Children and Young Persons. Easily accessible by tram 11, the blue french buses, on bike or on foot this library is amazing! It touts a collection of children's books in 50+ languages!!

Photo by Geoff Parks Photography

Along with books, there are also DVDs, CDs, bilingual book readings and culture events!

The volunteers (no, they are NOT paid so be nice:)) are very friendly and ready to give you a tour or answer your questions. Try using your German skills, but don't worry if English is all you've got. 

If you are a member of the BCT (Basel Children's Trust - recently changed from Basel Childbirth Trust) you will receive a free membership. Non-members will pay a minimal fee.

http://www.jukibu.ch/

** Summer hours: from July 2  to August 15 open the following Wednesday afternoons: July 6, 13, 20, 27, August 3, 10 from 15:00- 18:00.