California-based SmartyRents uses the Netflix model to help parents keep their children aged 9 months to 10 years old challenged and entertained, according to trendspotter Springwise.
The effort was launched just last week by two former teachers, which is why it also focuses on games with an educational bent.
Included in its inventory, for example, are top games from LeapFrog–including Little Leaps, Clickstart, Leapster and Didj–and from Vtech, including V.Smile Baby, V.Smile, V.Motion and V.Flash. Parents begin by signing up and choosing from among four rental packages, depending on how many games they’d like to have at one time.
They then choose the games they’d like to start off with–the site even lets them search by the educational skills emphasized–and their selections get sent to their door along with a prepaid mailing envelope to use to return them.
Games can be kept for as long as children enjoy them. Sending a game back prompts the next game on the family’s list to be sent; alternatively, those that are too hard to part with can be purchased for the site’s listed “Love it” price.
Photo by SmartyRents.