Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog: Deming, lean thinking, innovation, customer focus, continual improvement, six sigma.
February 21, 2008
Renting Toys

That kids get tired of many toys long before the toys are worn out is not a recent revelation Those frustrated by this waste surely number in the millions in the last few decades alone. Some attempts to reduce the waste exist: garage sales, goodwill, saving for younger siblings… but the waste remains frustratingly high. While I am sure some override the cultural bias against (at least in the USA) gifting used, perfectly serviceable, toys, that practice doesn’t seem to be acceptable to many parents doing the giving (I doubt most kids would care - at least until they absorb the throw away culture as their own). Netflix for the Toddler Set highlights an attempt to deal with this waste aided by technology.

Baby Plays was launched last October by a Houston, Texas mother who became frustrated as she watched her home fill with toys her twin infant sons quickly lost interest in. As she thought about how she could rent DVDs online, she realized that a rental option for toys would satisfy her need perfectly. But since no company she could find was offering such a service, she decided to launch one herself.

Good, I hope it is successful. It does remind me a bit of something I saw online recently (a joke I assume) looking for something that was like Netflix but for books. Um, libraries have existed for quite a long time.

Related: New, Different, Better - Science Toys You Can Make With Your Kids - Classic Children’s Books - Capitol Kids (in Madison)

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