[CallMeKelly]

What do you think?

http://www.rentatoy.com/

They have a few toys I've been wanting to buy but can't afford/don't want to add to clutter.

It seems so win/win... rotating toys, no building up of masses of clutter... any thoughts before I take the plunge? (I'll prob. cross post a few places hoping to catch a mama who uses this service, that can vouch for or against it)

 

[JamieCatheryn]

Cool concept, it's like Netflix for toys. Apparently lost or broken you pay wholesale price for the toy, I wondered about that when I first looked. I don't think it's for us. Personally I'd stress a bit about kids playing with things that weren't theirs and had a penalty for breakage. I could never justify paying $300+ a year for toys in our family, more like $100 generally. And for items like a game console I'd want to keep it for years (we have a Super Nintendo now still...), not rent it a couple months. If you have the budget for it though, and borrow sturdy items, sounds great.

 

[grniys]

I think whether it's a good deal or not depends on which toys you plan to get from there. After browsing the toys, I think it's a better deal in the long run to just buy one or two new toys a month. You can always trade toys with someone or sell them on Craig's list. I think the idea is cool, I just don't think the toys they offer are that special.

But that's just me.

 

[2lilsweetfoxes]

Seems like a good concept to "try out" toys-especially more expensive toys- and then buy if the kids like. But, mine are too rough on toys and little pieces seem to get scattered.

 

[Barbee]

I'm lucky to have a great thrift store nearby. DS and I go every tuesday morning and he can pick out whatever he wants. We bring it back as soon as it's lost it's charm and some stay for the long run (like the super cool marble run). You'd be surprised what people give away.

 

[NicaG]

I like the idea, but the service seems just slightly too expensive, depending on the toys you choose. Seems like you could almost buy that many toys each month, and then give them away if you don't want them cluttering up your home. I'd worry about losing pieces, breaking the toys, etc. and then paying extra in fees. I think I'd like this service better if it were a local thing. When I was a kid, we had a "toy library" in our town, where you paid a fee and then you could just check out new toys whenever you wanted. I loved that!

 

[LaughingHyena]

We belong to our local toy library but we don't borrow toys as much as I though we would.

It's great for trying things out to see if the kids like them and for a change of puzzles or games now and then. However stuff like shape sorters, stacking toys are things I would rather buy and have available all the time. We get most toys used so it's not a big expense for us.

I do like being able to have some "neutral" toys when we host LLL meetings and things like that.

It is a real pain keeping track of pieces too, especially once you get past the baby toys. Again find it much easier to buy a tub of used duplo than try to keep track of all the blocks from the borrowed tub.

Now if I could borrow bigger items like a play kitchen or one of those toddler trampolines I would love it. We just don't have the space to store those long term.