| Renting children's toys, is a trend that is not | | | | toys that children will want to play with. |
| extremely popular right now, but may become | | | | BrickRental offers Lego toys on rent. They have two |
| increasingly popular in the future. How many parents | | | | schemes, one allowing rental of six toys and the |
| have ever thought about renting toys? Well at least | | | | other of 12 toys in a year. They send and pick up |
| one parent did, hence we have sites like BabyPlays, | | | | toys using USPS free of charge. |
| BrickRental, Rent-A-Toy, ToyBox etc. | | | | At a time, they send only one toy. You can keep the |
| BabyPlays is a website where parents can choose | | | | toy for as long as you want. (Of course, knowing |
| from over 200 different toys for children up to 5 | | | | how children are, you can be sure the games will not |
| years-old. The company stocks up to 30 models of | | | | remain for long in your home.) However, they will not |
| each toy. | | | | send the next toy until you return the first toy. |
| Subscribers to this service generate a list online and a | | | | Rent-a-toy is another popular site. The best part of |
| box of toys is sent to their home. When they are | | | | this site is that they allow you to take upto 8 toys |
| finished with the current set of toys, they send the | | | | at a time! And just like the other sites, you can keep |
| toys back and wait for the next shipment. This | | | | the toys for as long as you want. Another good |
| process is similar to the system used by the very | | | | feature is that you can even buy the toy if your child |
| popular Netflix DVD rental service. BabyPlays | | | | doesn't want to part with the toy, ever - a sort of |
| currently offers four plans with prices ranging from | | | | "try-before-you-buy" thing. |
| $34.99 to $64.99 per month. These plans require a | | | | One issue that has come up is cleanliness. How clean |
| three month commitment and include four to 10 toys | | | | are the toys? As parents, you will definitely be |
| per month. | | | | worried about germs and diseases that could get |
| It is understandable that parents want their children | | | | transmitted via these toys. However, most of these |
| to experience a variety of educational toys as well | | | | businesses claims that their toys are cleaned with a |
| as toys just for fun. BabyPlays also understands that | | | | sanitation product that is used in some hospitals and |
| it is not necessary to invest money in a variety of | | | | day care centers. After cleaning, the toys are then |
| toys that your child will out grow or may become | | | | shrink-wrapped to stay clean during storage and |
| bored with in a short period of time. This makes | | | | shipment. |
| renting toys a good alternative for many parents. | | | | So, the question is: Are the major toy retailers |
| This idea of renting toys is good for parents who | | | | concerned about this new venture catching on and |
| feel like they are wasting money on buying toys that | | | | increasing? So far major retailers such as KB toys |
| they don't need to keep. They may also feel that | | | | and Toy's R US, don't seemed to be fazed by this |
| they don't want to clutter their house with things | | | | new trend. Even if it does gain a slightly larger |
| they don't need. However this program is certainly | | | | consumer base, the toy industry is a multibillion dollar |
| not intended to replace the classic toys that children | | | | industry, so major toy retailers will probably not be |
| will want to keep forever. Instead it provides the | | | | effected by this new trend. |
| opportunity to have a continuous flow of stimulating | | | | |