To think people may like baby play subscription boxes

[Bytheseamummy]

Hello!
I am a SAHM to 2 daughters and used to be an Early Years teacher and Early Years advisor. I am thinking of starting a business focussing on baby play subscription boxes and wonder if it's an idea that people think could work?! There seem to be lots of boxes around for children aged 3+ as well as pregnancy boxes and baby care boxes, but nothing focusing on baby play.

I was thinking of something that included sensory items, instruments, etc. as well as ideas for how to use them with baby and other ideas using items from home. The boxes would be aimed at baby's specific age so the items and ideas would be age appropriate and subscribers would build up a collection of sensory items, instruments and ideas over time.

Am I being daft thinking this might be an idea people would be interested in?! Would love to take the plunge and start my own little business

[keepforgettingmyusername]

It's not a daft idea and I imagine there is a market for it (the market being first time mums who feel guilty for not stimulating their baby every second of the day even though baby is completely stimulated by their natural home environment)

[Sunshinewithshowers123]

I think that sounds like a great idea!

[hidinginthenightgarden]

To be honest people probably would do this for their first child. It is really hard to interact with babies sometimes if it doesn't come naturally. Not sure how big the market would be for having specific age related ones though.

[Catmum26]

i have a 4month old and on days where we have no groups on i’m at a loss as to what to do with him. i think something like that is a great idea as i’m sure he probably gets bored of me waving the same toys in front of him all the time

[DeltaFlyer]

I think this is a fantastic idea op

[Twickerhun]

As with all things it would be dependent on cost and quality

[SleepDeprivedCabbageBrain]

Did you see the company Kidly? I liked their toy selection, as it's already curated into good quality stuff. I can see the appeal of having a limited selection these days.

How about having videos explaining how the toys tie in with baby development?

You'll need a good mobile site for all us parents ordering in the wee hours on our phones.

[Neverender]

One piece of advice...go for high end and top earners. You're not picking a demographic which typically has a lot of disposable income.

[DrWhy]

I can actually see this working well, I ended up buying a book called ‘baby play for every day’ because I just had no idea what to do with my first! You could include music CDs with booklets showing actions as well as toys and things. Would be nice to have it month by month with a bit about typical development at that stage and the ability to join the subscription at any month.

[TulipsTulipsTulips]

I had this idea when I had my first DD too! I think it’s a great idea but I didn’t do anything about it. It would especially work for those who are short on space and don’t want to store toys long term. Good luck!

[Fiveredbricks]

They already do them... Market research helps.

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

What would be even better is some find of toy hire scheme so you can get age appropriate toys without filling your house.

[Neverender]

And could get old pretty quickly if you can't list 100's of items - beauty boxes work because of the wide variety of items they offer; skincare, eye stuff, lipstick, toner etc etc...

[Neverender]

Monthly/3monthly might work as then you could include higher priced items for a 'stage' but monthly, no. (IMO)

[Narya]

They already do them... Market research helps

Well it's not something I've seen anywhere before and I probably would have gone for this type of thing on mat leave with dc1 as I wasn't very inventive with amusing a baby at home. So even if they do exist there are clearly people they aren't currently reaching!

I'd go squarely middle class and definitely push the sensory aspect rather than just play.

[DrWhy]

Yes, as someone above said, go high end, nice wooden toys etc. Look at shops like myriad, babipur, conscious craft, Adams attic etc.
How about including bits related to weaning too?
Please no videos, they disturb a sleeping baby if I play them on my phone! A link to a subscribers bit of a website where you can read the development bit or put it in an e-mail as well as a booklet with the toys - ooh, you could even have them so they go together like a good old fashioned magazine part-work.
Get on social media, have a FB group and generate some hype! Why didn’t I think of this...?!

[kaytee87]

I'd have bought this when ds was a baby. Possibly only 1 toy and 1 activity per box though or your house ends up over run with toys.
Make them good quality toys.

[SquigglySquaw]

I have a 5month old and I would subscribe to this. Especially if it had ideas of how to play with the toys imaginatively. We have lots of toys but I just wave them in his face because I don't know what else to do and it can get tedious. Go for it!

[HoustonBess]

Wouldn't be keen. Could just find something in the kitchen or head to the charity shop for that. No need to fork out for expensive mail service.

[Whatsername7]

I would have liked something like this. Also, little cards or an app with suggestions of what to do to interact with the baby. When dh and I bought Dd7 home, we literally sat and stared at her going "now what?"

[MammaMia19]

I don't think a baby needs a box of stuff every month so It wouldn't appeal to me. I think first time mums from middle/upper class backgrounds would be a good target market though

[keepforgettingmyusername]

'have lots of toys but I just wave them in his face because I don't know what else to do'

There's nothing else you can or should be doing with a baby that young tbh. Toys for babies are pretty pointless. Carrying them about and talking to them is all they really need. I hate this pressure on mums. You don't see many dads making sensory boards out of swatches of material from the curtain shop for 4 month old babies.

[Cookit]

It would depend for me on how much plastic was going to be in them.

[EgremontRusset]

I’d do this on a rental basis - there’s a company called Whirly (I think) advertising to me on fb as toy rental for older kids. But I wouldn’t do it as a subscription where you keep the things.

[HennyPennyHorror]

I think this sounds nice too. Especially if there was no plastic crap in them.

Also like ^Whatshername's* idea of the inclusion of cards with information or milestones etc.