Toys for Rent

A very practical store formally opened first week of February here in Mapo. It is located in the same building as the Mapo English Literacy Center. It is a membership store where you can borrow two toys at a time for a maximum of two weeks. Very practical, isn’t it? All I had to do was present my Certificate of Alien Registration and I was qualified for membership. No fuss. I was even able to get two toys before paying my annual membership before the formal opening of the store. On my second visit, I paid 10,000won for my annual membership. This entitles me to borrow two toys for a two-week period for free for the whole year. Very inexpensive and practical for parents. In this time of economic woes, buying expensive toys for infants and toddlers seems to be a luxury that should be set aside.

I visited again yesterday and my toddler wanted so many toys but we only have to take home two so we got these:

The toys are in very good condition and they come with specially-designed plastic bags. If batteries are needed, the store provides it, too. Of course, toys should be in equally good condition when returned. There is a variety of toys to choose from for infants and toddlers. Most of them are actually educational toys. What I really want to rent are the big toys like bikes, cars and slide. I have to time it for Saturdays so my husband would be with me to carry the heavy load:-).

There is a struggling English-speaking staff there and I am just so grateful that I can converse with her. I was the first foreigner-member there, thanks to my Korean friend, Cristin. I introduced my Vietnamese friend to the place and she likes the concept, too. She has registered as a member and got some toys for her toddler.