Is toy renting becoming the next big thing?
Buying new toys can become quite expensive after a while. Kids grow up so fast, and there are constantly new trends. One day they want race cars, and the other one, they want Legos. Toys can also be a mega source of stress for parents keen to consume less and embrace more sustainable practices. Or some are just plain tired of tripping over plastic tat in every room of the house. The latest new thing we are seeing is consumers turning to toy retail.
Renting toys
Kids want variation. So, renting toys can be a good solution. Giving your children access to a world of new toys each week or month helps to keep kids inspired and to cultivate their imaginations, as well as encouraging them to play with something they might be interested in but won't necessarily pick up in a shop. Rentals, in general, are becoming more popular among adults. A recent study by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield found that 40% of UK millennials wanted to rent Christmas trees, as well as board games (30%) and Christmas jumpers (28%). The Insights People predicts this outlook will trickle down to other product categories, including toys.
Toy sharing subscription services have emerged as a novel way for parents to get their kids the latest toy trends without cluttering up the house or further polluting the planet. So, renting toys is good for the environment. Not only is renting toys very popular in Europa, but the market is also growing in China. Parents are seeking cost-effective ways of keeping constantly evolving kids entertained, according to Shanghai Daily.
Whirli
The premise at Whirli is simple: sign up to membership (from £9.99 a month, which entitles you to access approximately £90's worth of toys), then make a pick-and-mix selection of the toys you want, from Brio train sets to Nerf Super Soakers to scooters and Grimm's wooden rainbow blocks. You can swap the toys whenever you like or decide to keep a particular favourite for as long as you want. There are tons more services where you can rent a kind of stuff, from toys to furniture.
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