Do you ever feel like your kid's toys have overrun your house? We certainly do at times. (Especially my husband. He gets so stressed out when our flat gets messy with all of Joshua's toys.)
Let's face it, flats in Hong Kong aren't big, so space is precious. You don't want to deprive your child of toys, as they are great tools for learning, but at the same time, it is a constant headache to find a place to store them all. That is why I think Happy Baton is such a great idea!
Happy Baton is an educational toy subscription company for children 0 - 5 years old, where you can rent good quality toys delivered to your doorstep.
We all know good quality toys aren't cheap, and our children also grow out of them pretty quickly. Even though I rotate Joshua's toys so he doesn't get bored with them so quickly. I do notice that some of them, he just lose interest in them entirely after a while. (I have kept them around because I have another one coming. If not, I would have probably passed them on to my friends or sold them already.)
That is why Happy Baton is such a good idea. It solves 3 big problems for parents in Hong Kong:
It saves you time - researching and looking for suitable toys for your child's age is time-consuming. I cannot tell you the number of hours I spend looking online at different toy stores to see what options there are out there.
It saves you space - this is a big one, especially in Hong Kong! I think everyone in Hong Kong wishes they have more space at home to store things. Toys are bulky; they are usually odd shapes, so finding space to store them is not easy. Especially the big ones! I mean, I would love to have one of those play kitchens at home, but let's face it, I just don't have space for it.
It saves you money - not all the toys you get for your child get played with. I have bought Joshua some toys that he lost interest in very quickly! He loved it in the store, but after playing with it at home a few times, it has been left in the corner collecting dust. As your child gets older, more of their personality come through, and they will show their preferences on some toys over others.
That is why Happy Baton is the perfect solution for parents in Hong Kong.
They have a great selection of toys ranging from Cognitive, Language, Physical, Social & Emotional, Montessori, Sensory, Stem, and Premium. So no matter what your child is into, there will be toys in their collection suitable for your child.
My favourite has to be their Premium range because it has all the big toys you would love your child to try out, but you might not necessarily buy because you don't have the space for it at home in the long run.
I have been debating whether to get the Climbing Arch or the Pickler Triangle for the longest time. Why? For one, they are not cheap. Secondly, they take up so much space. So I don't want to buy one, just to find out that Joshua doesn't enjoy playing with it, then I have the headache of selling it.
With the Happy Baton subscription this completely solves my problem. Joshua can try out these toys for a month, and if he doesn't like it, the toy is gone after a month. And if he loves it, then I can decide whether or not to buy my own for the long run. Either way, it is a win-win situation.
Why I love Happy Baton
Happy Baton is a momtrepreneur company founded by three mums, Jade, Natalie, and Sandy. I do love businesses that are run by mums because mums are problem solvers. Their company goal is always to solve a problem that every parent face. (Also, I do love supporting other mums, as I know being a mother is not always easy.)
I love this idea of toy rental; not only is it economical, but it is environmentally friendly too. Can you imagine how much wastage we would save just by renting toys instead of buying them? Our kids grow out of them quickly, and even though we can pass them on to our friends or sell them, you cannot try the wide variety of toys compared to renting them.
I am not saying don't buy toys for your kids (there are some toys that Joshua loves since he was a few months old and still love them now), but it is definitely worth exploring toy rental as an option.
Good quality toys last, and even if a toy is a bit used and chipped, your child is not going to care. Most of Joshua's toys are hand me downs, and honestly, he doesn't seem to notice the difference. All he cares about is that the toy gives him joy, and he is having a good time.
All their toys are packed in reusable canvas bags, and the toys are delivered in reusable and recycled cardboard boxes, which makes this mama very happy. Any effort (big or small) to help the environment is a great way to preserve the world for our children's future.
It is really easy to join, and if you have no idea where to start, they can even send you a selection of toys based on your child's interest.
So there are two different toy box subscription - Basic Box and Premium.
You pick a box and fill in a quick questionnaire that asks about your child's age, interest etc. They also have a section where you can request any toys you are specifically interested in. After that, they will curate a toy box specifically for your child's needs and deliver it to your door. It is as simple as that.
After a month, they will come and collect it and deliver you the next month's toy box subscription. And if you decided that it is not the right fit for you, no worries, all you have to do is let them know 5 days before your next payment that you would like to discontinue your subscription. There will be a $100 pick up fee for the toys, they will send someone to pick up the toys from your house. No hassle, no fuss! (Just want EVERY PARENT need!)
I know what you are thinking. Under normal circumstances, you would have probably signed up already after reading the intro, but what about now with Covid?
Don't worry, I had the same question in mind too. All of Happy Baton toys are sterilized, cleaned, and disinfected thoroughly before they reach your home. You can read more about it on their page.
Boxful of Joy - Donate your toys
I love companies that Give Back to the community, and this year Happy Baton has partnered up with Branches of Hope to do a toy donation drive.
This year has been particularly hard with the onset of Covid-19 and the protest movement, accompanied by the rise in food prices, the refugee and asylum seeker (RAS) community struggles to survive.
As Christmas is just around the corner, YOU and your children can help spread some love and joy to refugee families across Hong Kong by donating quality toys. Let's give these children something to look forward to and finish this year with positive vibes!
How to Donate
Drop off your unwanted toys at the various collection points across Hong Kong. (List below)
They will take any suitable toys for children under 6, which are durable, easy to clean, in a complete set, and functional.
They will not take soft toys, dolls, teething toys, books, or incomplete set toys.
Collection time November 1 - 13, 2020, during office hours.
Collection Points
Hong Kong Island:
Baumhaus Wan Chai 1/F, Kar Yau Building, 36-44 Queen's Rd E
Sprout in Motion Central G/F, 5A Chancery Lane
Sprout in Motion Wong Chuk Hang Suite 1006, Global Trade Square, 21 Wong Chuk Hang Road
Kowloon:
K11 Nature Discovery Park 8/F, MUSEA18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
If you would like to volunteer, they are currently looking for volunteers to help sort, clean, and pack the Boxful of toys, during November 16 - 27, 2020.
Please WhatsApp +852 5760 3560 with your name and email address, to apply.
They will be distributing the Boxful of Joy to children across Hong Kong during the week of December 6 - 13, 2020.
Sharing the love
If you love the idea of toy rental and would like to try out Happy Baton, we are offering you 10% off when you sign up for any of their subscription plans. (Please use the Coupon code below.)
I hope you enjoyed my blog post about Happy Baton today. If you would to know more about companies such as these, please do let me know so I will keep looking for them and share them with you.
Have a lovely day!
Sending you love & positive thoughts,
Christine xxx
