Hold a Toy Swap!
Whether you want to reduce, reuse, recycle, save money or just avoid waste, toy swaps make sense — especially around the holidays. Toy swaps bring people together and everyone walks away happy!
Organize a toy swap by putting together a group of interested parents. Decide how large you want the swap — should each person in the core group invite friends, or should you keep it smaller? To avoid toy drama, it may be a good idea to make your event “parents only.”
Set a date and time, and make up some basic swap rules. You may want to set limits on the types or condition of toys to swap. Keep in mind that one person’s idea of a broken piece of junk may be another parent’s treasure to fix!
Next, make swap “tickets.” Small toys might equal one ticket, and larger ones two tickets or more. On the day of the swap, hand out the tickets. (The number of tickets should correspond with how many toys or the type that each parent brings to the swap.) Parents can use these to “pay” for toys they want to bring home. You can choose to take turns, picking out of a hat for the order of swapping.
Keep the goodwill going: If any toys are not swapped, consider donating them to your local thrift store, charity or shelters in your area.
TIP: Have a car seat or clothing that your baby has outgrown? Consider organizing other kinds of family-friendly swaps to save money and have fun.
