How It Works
The Wee Swap Journey
Watch this short video to see the full Wee Swap journey, from Swap Drop days to event day, and discover how it all comes together.
Here’s a quick guide to how The Wee Swap events run, from Swap Drops to the fun on the big Swap Day itself, and then the follow-on Tot’s Hour.
And make sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions section below!
1: Swap Drop in Advance
To ensure a smooth and well-organised Event Day, we only accept your gently-used children's clothes, items, toys, and books in advance for the swap. This helps us sort everything and get it ready for the event. We call these days ‘Swap Drops’.
Swappers must register for Swap Drop days. Your Swap Drop registration secures your spot at Event Day.
Bring the kids to the Swap Drop days too, we’ll have some fun activities for them!
For information on what items we accept, please see the FAQs section below.
2: The Swap
The Swap is the main part of Event Day. Only those who have registered and brought items to a Swap Drop in advance can take part. This is your chance to take whatever you need for the next stage in your child’s life.
Explore the collection, choose what fits, and enjoy swapping for your family’s next adventures.
Please note: we don’t admit walk-ins or drop-offs during The Swap.
3: Tot’s Hour
Tot’s Hour is a happy little offshoot of The Wee Swap initiative.
After the main swap on Event Day, we open the doors for Tot’s Hour. This is an open session where anyone can come along and take whatever is left from the event — completely free. No registration needed.
Tot’s Hour exists because of the way the swap works.
Items for newborns and young babies often aren’t taken back during the main swap, simply because families have moved past that stage. As a result, we’re usually left with lots of newborn and baby clothing — often barely worn, and sometimes still with tags — ready to find new homes once the swap has finished. If you’re expecting, have a newborn or baby, or care for little ones, Tot’s Hour is your chance to take whatever you need. There are no limits.
A quick heads up for parents of older children
After the main Swap Day, we typically have lots of clothes for babies and toddlers up to around 2yrs. Beyond that age, there’s no guarantee of leftover clothing from the Swap event for ages 3+, but you’re very welcome to pop down and see what’s available.
Toys and larger items like prams usually also go during the main swap, though every now and then a few gems remain.
Creative Activities for Kids
We firmly believe that children are at the heart of The Wee Swap, and we want them to feel involved and excited! That's why we offer creative activities specifically for kids on both our Swap Drop days and Event day.
Bringing your children along encourages their participation in the swap and makes their experience fun and memorable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How the Swap Events Work
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Our Swap programme is popular so registration is required. Your registration and attendance at one of the Swap Drop Days automatically registers you for the Swap Day.
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The Wee Swap is a circular exchange programme so we only allow registration for those who will take part in the whole programme, attending both the Swap Drop and the Swap Day. In this way we reduce the risk of the programme struggling with too many, or too few, items.
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Yes, absolutely! The event is completely free for everyone. Our view is that these items have already been purchased and they exist to be used. If we don't give them second lives, we risk good quality items going to landfill.
We completely understand that not everyone is in a position to give items in advance, and honestly, by taking these items home and giving them new lives, you are doing us (and the planet) a favour.
So, as the saying goes – "fill your boots!"
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Yes! We firmly believe that children are at the heart of The Wee Swap, and we want them to feel involved and excited! That's why we offer creative activities specifically for kids on both our Swap Drop days and Event day.
Bringing your children along encourages their participation in the swap and makes their experience fun and memorable.
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We are always looking for extra hands to help with our Swap Drop Days and event days! If you'd like to get involved, please check out our 'Volunteer'page for more information.
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Right now, we're only holding Wee Swaps in East Belfast and Lisburn. The organisers, Anna and Meg, run The Wee Swap as a passion project but they also have other full-time commitments, and these current locations are within their local community.
Getting ready for the Swap Drop
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Yes, you must register to drop off items at a Swap Drop day and spots are limited. We release spaces in waves, so if all spots are full, you can join the waitlist - but please note that joining the waitlist does not guarantee a place.
Registering helps us plan resources in advance, manage numbers and allows us to communicate important details with you.
Note that registering for a Swap Drop Day automatically gets you access to the main swap on event day.
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We happily accept most children's clothes, items, toys, and books. They must be in good, clean, and usable condition, free from stains or damage.
A good rule of thumb is: "What would I want to receive at the swap?"
Please ensure all clothes and soft furnishings, including soft toys, are washed in advance of your Swap Drop. We also gladly accept maternity clothes!
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Unfortunately, due to health and safety regulations, there are some items we cannot accept:
Anything broken, dirty, or unsafe
Car seats or booster seats
Cot mattresses, pram mattresses, or cot bumpers
Repainted cots or drop-side cots
Incomplete toy sets (e.g., board games or puzzles with missing pieces)
Safety helmets
Used dummies and bottles
Apart from these exceptions, we will accept everything else. If you're still unsure about an item, please feel free to message us.
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Yes, we do! We accept cloth nappies provided they are clean and in good quality. We also accept disposable nappies from an opened pack – perfect if your little one has grown into the next size before you could finish a pack.
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No, we are not able to offer pick-ups.
The Wee Swap is a passion project for Meg and Anna, but they both have other full-time commitments. For now, we can only receive items for the swap during designated Swap Drop Days.
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No, we don’t accept hangers. Please just bring the items themselves.
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We accept clothes, toys, and equipment for children up to around 10 years old.
However, please note that we can’t guarantee there will be items for older kids, as the selection depends entirely on what families give in for each event.
The majority of our items tend to be for newborns up to age 7 but for our next event in Lisburn, we’re testing our phased registration for Swap Drops to diversify the age ranges.
We’ll keep you updated on what ages we have available before event day!
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Please sort your items as best you can by age-group in advance of your Swap Drop. This makes a huge difference to our volunteers, who otherwise have to go through large bags, which can take a lot of time.
Your help allows us to get items onto the swap floor much quicker for everyone!
Please also remove items from hangers before dropping off.
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The Wee Swap is designed as a circular exchange, not a donation drive. By giving in items at a Swap Drop, you are signing up to attend The Swap on Event Day.
While we understand some people may only want to hand items in and not come back on event day, spaces at Swap Drops are limited. If you don’t plan to return for the event, we kindly ask you not to take a Swap Drop space as this prevents another family from taking part and we risk being overwhelmed with too many items.
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Unfortunately no, we can only accept items during our designated Swap Drop Days. This is because we only have access to our Swap Drop venues at specific times, and our wonderful volunteers are available to help us receive and process items during these designated slots.
With our current capacity, concentrating drop-offs to these specific days allows us to efficiently manage and prepare all items for the main swap events.
About the Swap Day
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No, there's no limit! We encourage you to take as much as you like. Our aim is to give these quality items a second life and reduce waste, so please "fill your boots" with items that will be used and loved in your home.
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Our main goal is to find new homes for as many items as possible! If there are items left over after the event, we work hard to ensure they continue their circular journey. We typically partner with local community groups or charities, or textile recycling initiatives to responsibly rehome or repurpose anything that remains. Our priority is to avoid anything going to landfill.
If you know of any organisations who would be interested in taking leftover items, please let us know!