Between birthdays, holidays, hand-me-downs, and allowance splurges, there’s nothing kids cycle through faster than toys. (Except clothes. Maybe.)
While I don’t have kids of my own, I distinctly remember every Christmas from my childhood—including the incredible boredom I’d feel halfway through Christmas break. Did Santa just bring me a bag full of brand-new toys? Yes. But all the toys in the world wouldn’t have kept me occupied my whole Christmas break. That was impossible!
My parents would have jumped for joy at the sound of a toy rental service when they were raising me and my four siblings! Five imaginative kids with rapidly developing minds, always craving a challenge and the novelty of something new? The cost of all those toys adds up. (As you can imagine, we were a pricey bunch to bring up.)
If this sounds like your own family, you want to “try before you buy” big-ticket toys, or you’re trying to reduce all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years, a toy-sharing subscription might be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Here’s six things to love about these up-and-coming services, plus our top toy-sharing subscription recommendations!
Could Save You Money
More often than not, the cost to rent toys for a short time is cheaper than buying them upfront. Of course, this will depend on:
- How frequently you purchase toys for your children
- How much you typically spend on their toys
- How commonly you find yourself replacing toys they’ve broken
- How often you sort through and toss the toys they have
Your savings will also depend on the cost of the toy rental service you choose. In any case, these services will likely cut costs in one way or another—whether you choose to subscribe every now and then or for the long haul.
Gives You the Chance to “Try Before You Buy”
If your child’s been begging for that one particular toy every time you head toward the toy aisle, a toy-sharing subscription could be the key to keeping their cries in check.
Before committing to buy—especially if the toy is big, bulky, and costs you the big bucks—give it a try through toy sharing! Your child may learn the toy of their dreams is actually the toy of their nightmares.
Or, they might be as obsessed with it as they expected. If they’re dreading the day you have to send it back, you’ll know it’s a toy worth investing in. Plus, nearly every toy rental service offers the option to buy any toys that become a family favorite! Could they make it any more convenient?
Screen-Free Fun Tailored to Your Child
At Troomi, we believe technology should be a tool—not a trap. It’s our mission to empower kids to learn, do, and become anything! We accomplish this by keeping social media, addictive games, and other harmful apps off our phones.
While technology has its value, screen-free fun is always something we can get behind. With a toy-sharing subscription, your kids will receive a variety of toys that are tailored to their ages and interests! Instead of being stuck behind a screen, your kids will enjoy:
- Sparking their creativity and imagination
- Developing their problem-solving and critical thinking skills
- Playing with new toys
- Refining their motor skills
- Learning how new toys work
- Discovering new interests and talents
Reduces Clutter
With a toy rental service, you can buy fewer toys without sacrificing your children’s playtime. They’ll regularly receive new and engaging toys to support their development, and you’ll open up invaluable storage space in your home! Everybody wins.
No more making room for large toys, constantly re-organizing and re-arranging toys, and no more clutter or mess. Cleaning your kids’ rooms has never been easier!
Better for the Planet
If you’re anything like me (i.e., filled with anxiety), you might shudder and cringe every time the toy aisle sneaks into view. Why?
Plastic. So much plastic. Between the plastic used to manufacture the toys and the excessive plastic used to package them, the mass making of toys is not a planet-friendly process.
Kill the demand for all those new toys by sticking to a toy-sharing subscription. Less plastic waste in our landfills and oceans make Mother Earth very happy!
Something to Look Forward To
Even as a grown adult, I love getting mail. Whether it’s a handwritten letter, package, or food delivery, it never fails to excite me! I imagine that excitement is magnified by at least 100 for kids. I know when I was little, I lit up every time I saw something in the mailbox with my name on it!
Depending on the service you choose, your child can feel that same excitement every month or so. What could be better than a package full of fun curated just for them?
Top Toy-Sharing Subscriptions
Green Piñata
Green Piñata is a toy rental service that delivers safe and stimulating toys straight to your door.
- How It Works – Browse the Green Piñata toy catalog and pick up to four toys for your box. Your child can play with the toys for as long as they’d like! Purchase the ones you want to keep, then return the rest.
- Age – 6 months to 5 years
- Membership Plans – 1
- Price – $30 per month + free shipping both ways
Tiny Earth Toys
Tiny Earth Toys is a toy rental service that offers open-ended, Montessori-inspired wooden toys.
- How It Works – Choose up to ten open-ended wooden toys from an educator-curated toy library. Your child can exchange their toys for new ones every two months! Purchase the ones you want to keep, then return the rest.
- Age – Newborn to 5 years
- Membership Plans – 3
- Price – $35 to $65 per month + free shipping both ways
Kiwi Crate
While not a toy rental service, Kiwi Crate serves many of the same purposes as a toy-sharing subscription. Instead of standard toys, Kiwi Crate sends your kiddo creative STEAM-themed projects to inspire their inner innovator!
- How It Works – Choose the age of your child and the type of projects they’d like to receive. Every month, they’ll get all the tools, materials, and inspiration they need to put their project together!
- Age – Newborn to adult
- Membership Plans – 9
- Price – $26.95 to $32.95 per month + free shipping
Green Kid Crafts
While not a toy rental service, Green Kid Crafts serves many of the same purposes as a toy-sharing subscription. Instead of standard toys, Green Kid Crafts sends your child STEAM-themed crafts to make!
- How It Works – Pick a plan based on your child’s age, or purchase craft boxes individually. Each box includes up to six activities to inspire creativity and spark a lifelong love of learning!
- Age – 3 years to 12 years
- Membership Plans – 2
- Price – $24.95 to $29.99 per month + free shipping
Alternatives to Toy Sharing
If you’re taken by the idea of toy-sharing subscriptions—but they’re either out of budget or simply not what you’re looking for—there are other ways you can capture the spirit of toy sharing.
Thrift and Consignment Stores
How many times have you shopped at a thrift or consignment store and found a brand-new item with the tag still on? As a frequent thrift shopper myself, I regularly find perfectly functional items up for grabs at a great price. Whatever you find might need a little cleaning up, but a good bargain is always worth the elbow grease!
Yard Sales
Nothing makes me feel like a completely new human quite like cleaning my house does. Do your fellow parents a favor and make their “trash” your “treasure!” Yard sales are a hot spot for toys—and they’re usually a killer deal. Bring the kids along for a fun Saturday of yard sale-ing!
Online Marketplaces
From local classifieds online to larger platforms like Facebook Marketplace, it’s not uncommon to find like-new items that people either forgot to return to the store or simply didn’t use. You could also come across local small businesses that make or sell their own toys—an added bonus!
Neighborhood Toy Swaps
How about organizing a toy swap with families in the neighborhood? Ask each guest to bring a few toys their children no longer play with, display them all for everyone to see, then start swapping. Every family gets to take home “new” toys while discarding the ones they don’t want! If any toys are left unclaimed, drop them off at a local donation center.
Local Toy Libraries
Do a little digging and find out what your own community has to offer! This list of toy-lending libraries just might be the perfect place to start.