There’s something different about Rhea Arul’s office: where other CEOs might have files and folders, she has, among other things, a box of Lego, a blaster gun with bullets and a very realistic-looking pug curled up in a basket. And while boardroom battles should be on her mind, she is busy engaging action figures of Darth Maul and Batman in a lightsaber duel. It’s important to note that she’s eight years old, and the founder of a unique toy rental service, RentPlay, that launches today in Chennai.
It was on a play date that Rhea first got the idea, and it grew centred on a discussion at her school. “I know that a lot of people can’t afford the kind of toys my parents are able to get me. And most kids get bored of the same toys within a few days, so it isn’t worth to spend so much on them. Around the same time, my teacher asked our class what we wanted to be when we grew up. There were doctors, engineers, architects… But I said, why can’t we do something now, instead of waiting till we are older?”
She spoke to her parents about putting together a website where people could hire different types of toys for a short period of time at nominal pricing. Rhea wanted to invest her own money. “There’s this concept of blessing money that my parents set aside for me. There was about 1 lakh rupees, and they said I could use it, as it was for a good cause. We have identified two orphanages, and for every registration on the website, I will be donating one toy to them.”
Dororthy Thomas, Rhea’s mother, adds that once their friends and family knew what she had in mind, they offered help.
While Rhea is founder and CEO, she also has an advisory board, with kids aged five and above. They meet and discuss the newest toys, play sets, and what will be most popular among various age groups. “I don’t like the idea that some toys are meant for boys and some for girls. I would much rather play with superheroes than with dolls,” says the feisty little girl.
RentPlay’s tagline — Pay Less, Play More — pretty much sums it up. They’re starting with a collection of about 150 toys, from Nerf guns and Hexbugs to dollhouses and a mini Foosball table. Brands like Melissa & Doug, Duplo, Learning Resources, Fisher-Price, PlayMobil and OgoSport will be available. You can hire one toy for 10 days at Rs. 250, or three toys for 30 days at Rs. 500.
Delivery and pick up are free, and there’s no deposit; just a one-time joining fee of Rs. 500. For children, it’s like having an extended toy cupboard, and for parents, it means spending less on toys that will gather dust on shelves within a few days.
And what if anyone breaks the toys? Rhea has thought of that too, and along with her cousin, has come up with a ‘Pinkie Promise Pledge’ that the child who will be playing with the toy signs. She rattles it off from memory: “I pinkie promise to take care of the toys I have rented. I shall not break them or cause any damage. I play to be creative and to have fun and promise to return them once I am done.” If a toy does get damaged, each case will be dealt with uniquely, in discussion with the parents. “This way, we hope to inculcate responsibility in kids, so that they are more mindful and careful even while playing with their own toys,” Dorothy says.
The website launches this evening. For more details, visit rheasrentplay.com , or email rhea@rheasrentplay.com . Tel: 98840 63425.
