Homes Brief
Toy swaps and rentals are reshaping DMV playrooms
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The Toy Nest in Falls Church, Va. Photo: Courtesy of The Toy Nest
Toy prices may be climbing, but your playroom budget doesn't have to, thanks to some creative locals.
Why it matters: Swaps and rentals are helping families save money and giving parents a way to clear out unused toys.
State of play: The Toy Nest, a "toy library" and indoor play space in Falls Church, has seen growing interest after first landing in the D.C. area in 2020.
- What started as a "pop-up idea" offering monthly memberships to borrow "pre-loved" toys has since grown to a business with a 10-person staff, owner Lisa Bourven tells Axios. Now they're getting calls to expand.
- "The cost of living is really high in the D.C. area, and toys are really expensive. When you run the numbers, it just makes sense to borrow and pay very reasonable monthly fees," Bourven says.
How it works: Monthly memberships run $30-$45.
- Toys are rented on a point system — and you can borrow playroom furniture, too, like kids couches and climbing arches. Plus: Seasonal items like water tables or Halloween costumes.
- "A lot of parents, it appeals to them that they don't have to keep this stuff forever," Bourven says.
Plus: The Toy Nest accepts donations, and they'll purchase certain toys. Just make sure to send them an email with pictures of your items first.
- For each annual membership they sell, they'll also match memberships for local families meeting federal requirements for free and reduced-price lunch.
Between the lines: Anne Gillyard, co-founder of D.C.-based playroom design firm Groh, tells Axios keeping "toy libraries" at home and storing unused items can help play spaces feel less cluttered — creating a calmer environment for kids.
- It also supports independence and self-regulation, she says, as children call the shots on what makes it into playtime.
🧩 Zoom out: Whether it's through Facebook and WhatsApp groups or visiting your local library, parents are also swapping items across D.C.
- The Takoma Park library hosts puzzle swaps on the first Tuesday of each month. The next one is May 5.
- The Cleveland Park library is hosting a puzzle swap on May 15.
And one community-driven effort to recycle toys near the Wharf is part of a nationwide network to spark sidewalk joy.
- The SW DC Tiny Toy Exchange, next to a little free library, has a simple mission: Take a toy. Leave a toy. Be kind.
Axios' Carly Mallenbaum contributed to this story.