Ask most parents what takes up the most space in their homes and you will hear a unanimous answer – toys! If you have children, it usually follows that you will have a home filled with toys for every age group as you buy new ones for your oldest children, and hang on to the older toys whilst you wait for your younger ones to grow into them.

Yet, play is an integral part of a child’s life; and toys help stimulate creativity, hone hand-eye coordination, psycho-motor skills, develop spatial sense and bring great joy. So restricting access to toys is not ideal, but finding a way to meet manage this need better is. However, if you think about it, this doesn’t have to be the case. If you can rent movies, video games, cars, houses and even handbags, why not toys?

Toy rental allows space and cash-strapped parents to rent toys for a limited time, at a fraction of the retail price. Since children tend to outgrow their toys quickly, and toys clutter up the home, it makes perfect sense to rent rather than buy. When the novelty wanes off, simply return it and lease another one! 

Simply just search for keywords such as "toys for rent Singapore" or "toy rental in Singapore" and you will get a list of websites with rental service to choose from.

You can rent a simple toy for as little as a few dollars, or a big play house for less than a hundred. Parents also enjoy great variety, from popular brands like Fisherprice, Vtech, Playskool, Little Tikes and Evenflo.

Independent online reviews are also available to help parents make informed decisions of their selection. Online selection also relieves the in-store shopping stress (especially with excitable children in tow) and enhances the overall shopping experience.

So, the next time you see a costly toy you think your kids would love, instead of buying it brand new, consider renting it instead!

Adapted from an article first published on 27 Mar 2013 on Dads for Life Toolbox.