Our Community Programs
Supporting Shirley Eves Center Means Supporting Your Community
Our community programs are open to families with infants and toddlers. We primarily serve Cumberland County, New Jersey.
Toy Library/Early Reading Program
To register, click here:
Toy Library
Visit the Toy Library
The toy library is open to the community on specific days. Please check our calendar.
We have toddler events each month, including our Toddler Play Hour on the third Thursday of the month from 10-11 am and our Sensory Play activity on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 4:30 pm. To register for these events, visit our calendar page for the Eventbrite registration links.
Toy Library Tuesdays, Summer 2025
This summer, from June 24 to August 26, 2025, we will be open for visiting on Toy Library Tuesdays from 9 am to 12 pm. When you visit, you will be asked to complete a registration form. The toy library is free and open to toddlers and their families, and siblings are welcome.
Our Toys
We have a variety of toys appropriate for children ages birth to three. Blocks, little people, cars, puzzles, shape sorters, and many more.
Our Partners
We believe in the power of community and the importance of working together to achieve our goals. At Shirley Eves, we partner with organizations in the community for events and activities.
Library Story Time Stay and Plays
Each month, our child development specialists and toy library representatives visit library story times and bring toys based on a theme. After the story, children are encouraged to play together with parental guidance, practicing early social-emotional skills. Also, through modeling and discussion, we talk with parents about ages and stages and playful learning strategies.
Community & Library Visits
We currently visit the Millville Public Library and the Cumberland County Library. Please check our calendar or their websites for dates. We also visit local family success centers when invited for stay-and-play sessions.
Early Reading Program
Read, Play, Grow: Early Reading Program
At the Shirley Eves Center, we believe in nurturing a love for learning from the very start. Our Early Reading Program is a dedicated initiative focused on building literacy and empowering families in Cumberland County, especially those with our youngest learners.
Why Early Reading Matters: We know that early exposure to books is a powerful way to stimulate a child's development, strengthen family bonds through shared moments, and lay the foundation for lifelong learning. This program beautifully complements our long-standing Toy Library. Just as play is fundamental to growth, so too is the magic of reading together.
How it Works: When you register for the Toy Library Program, you are automatically registered for the Early Reading Program. Whenever you visit the Toy Library with your child for an event or during open visiting hours, you can simply help your child choose a book to take home to keep.