If you’ve ever wondered what’s inside your child’s favourite plastic toy, the results could surprise you.
A recent study by the University of Toronto found that cancer-causing chemicals were found in 87 per cent of household objects, with something called short chain chlorinated paraffins being found most commonly in plastic toys.
That information, paired with the fact that children eventually outgrow their favourite plaything and leave the clutter behind, could give some parents pause before their next visit to the toy store.
For Carissa Bourrie, it was watching her baby play with a makeshift rattle -- made of an empty plastic spice jar and dried lentils -- that made her rethink the industry.
“I caught a glimpse of the recycling code on the bottom, and I knew some plastics were safer than others,” Bourrie told CTV News Toronto in an interview. “Turned out it was one of the types that he shouldn't be putting in his mouth.”
The revelation sent the new mother on a deep dive search for alternatives.
She stumbled upon a more natural product, which could also prevent old toys from ending up in a landfill.
“[I] discovered this whole world of Montessori-specific toys and other open-ended wooden toys and realized how expensive they were. And a lot of them were inaccessible in Canada as well,” she said.
And just like that, the Toy Exchange Club was born: an Ontario-based, subscription-style business that delivers rental Montessori-inspired, wooden toys to your door every three months.
The curated sets of educational wooden toys are gender neutral and age-appropriate, says co-founder Carissa MacLennan, with kits available for newborns to three-year-olds for $37 a month.
The pair said they teamed up with an early childhood cognitive developmental psychologist to design the kits, which are tailored to three-month increments of a child’s life.
“There was a lot of testing that went on with our early customers as well, with respect to: we know that these are developmentally appropriate and supporting the right skill sets at each age, [but] are the kids also really enjoying them,” Bourrie explained.
When the three months are up, customers will receive a new set in the mail and ship the old toys in the same box before they are thoroughly cleaned for the next kid.
Bourrie said parents can purchase any one of the seven to eight toys delivered in a single box if their child becomes attached, although it is discouraged as she says they will likely outgrow it.
The founders estimate that the subscription service could save parents up to $450 a year, which would otherwise be spend on plastic toys that may end up in the garbage.
Since launching in 2019, Bourrie said the business has taken off with a few hundred customers across Canada.
Now, she’s hoping to grow the business even larger within Toronto -- which she said is the Clubs’ largest market -- before expanding south of the border.
“Once we really refine the logistics model, we're looking to move to the US as well.”
