Go Ahead, Make Your Kids' Day: Tip-of-the-Day #284

My friend Jen has two (adorable) kids, Finn and Camille. They both love the typical toys created for their gender and age. Finn, age seven, has a true love of Legos. Whenever I spend time with him he tells me all about his (new) favorite set. I recently asked if he had his eye on something special for Christmas and after disclosing his first choice, I quickly Googled it to see what it might run his mom. That box of Legos which may keep him entertained for a month (or two) at best is $100! There's no way most people can indulge their kids' whims especially when it comes with that price tag. Even "Aunt Carrie" couldn't pony up for that one. So I kept my eyes open for Lego promotions on the internet.

That's when I discovered Pleygo. Known as the "Netflix" for Lego sets, kids can choose from 100s of the most popular ones - from Batman to Harry Potter to Star Wars and Chima and Friends.

How it works:
1. Sign up
2. Create a wish list
3. Get your Legos in the mail, play with them and then return them when you're ready using the pre-paid shipping label

Now I'm not a mom, but the kinds of questions I'd have are along the lines of "Are they cleaned after use?" and "What happens if my kid loses a piece?"

I was downright giddy (exaggeration for the sake of a good story) for all the moms out there when I read that each set is cleaned and sanitized after use and there's no charge if pieces go missing!

You can exchange Lego sets as often as you like -- there's no limit to the number of sets you can exchange per month and how long you can keep them. Like Netflix, it takes between 2-3 days to get a new set depending on the USPS delivery schedule in your area.

And, if your child loves the set and wants to keep it, you can easily purchase it from the My Account page. You're charged a discounted price from the retail price of the set and will get the next rental set in your Wish List right after your purchase.

The website is currently offering a FREE 30-day trial and then it moves to a subscription service of $25/mo. I found a deal on Plum District offering two months for just $15.

Jen was pretty excited when I shared this find with her and I'll bet there are a few more moms out there that will feel the same way. :)