Children’s toys, books and clothes often come at premium, but they grow out of them so quickly. Not only is this hard on the wallet, it’s also bad for the environment, with scarcely used baby gear adding to ever-growing landfill piles. Here are some options in the UAE where you can enjoy good-as-new quality preloved, second-hand or borrowed kids’ stuff, which is both sustainable and a fraction of the usual price…
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KIDDOS TOYS CLUB: Get a totally customised bag of pre-loved toys for your family every single month with this eco-friendly toy club, which enables your child to try out new toys and skills, while saving you money, time and space in the process. A family business launched in 2019, this innovative little team selects a range of quality toys from their premium brand partners (including iconic names like Magnatiles and Wobbel Boards) based specifically on your own child’s developmental stage, which arrive as a wonderful surprise each month, and which you return before receiving the next one. With plans for kids aged from 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 13-24 months, 2-3 years and 3 years +, expect everything from play gyms and push-pull toys, to puzzles, construction toys, and creative play props. Plans from Dh80 per month, Kiddostoysclub.com.
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PEEKADO: Get a fresh bundle of curated books sent to you every month. Picked specifically for your child by early education experts, you can choose either to build your own library with the Book Keepers monthly subscription service, or you can opt for the eco-friendly and space-friendly Story Swappers option, which you use for the month and then return. Books are based on your child’s age and picked according to a monthly theme, and they are delivered and collected straight to and from your doorstep. From Dh99 per month, or Dh249 for three months for a box of fresh books. Peekado.com.
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YALLA KIDS!: This chic, beautifully presented website sells branded and unique preloved clothing for babies, children and teens at low prices. All the products are styled so that the site feels high-end, but you can bag a branded bargain, and shipping is free for purchases over Dh150 (or Dh20 or free pick-up from The Lakes). There are some seriously good discounted gems on here - think gorgeous occasion wear for Dh40, or a preloved Frozen Elsa dress for Dh70. Check it out! Yalla-kids.com.
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SPRUCED UP FOR KIDS: This brand new online store was founded by two Dubai mums in January 2021, with the idea of recycling and reusing children’s toys and books as a way of creating a more sustainable future for the next generation. They sell good quality, used toys and books, and will also buy them off you, giving parents the opportunity to earn money by recycling their children’s old stuff, as well as the ability to keep kids stimulated with good-value products that are kinder to the planet than buying new. “Our concept is not another marketplace for pre-loved items, but to collaborate with like-minded parents who want to increase the lifespan of their purchases and allow many more little munchkins to make memories with them,” say the founders. Sprucedupforkids@gmail.com, @Sprucedupforkids on Instagram and Facebook, website coming soon.
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BOOKENDS: Ever noticed how quickly kids get through storybooks and want new ones? Two UAE mums did, and realised how hard it was to find good books at affordable prices, which is why the idea for Bookends came about - the UAE's first digital platform for buying (and selling) pre-loved books at a fraction of the price that they would be new. Easily browse through all manner of books on the clean and easy-to-navigate website - including an extensive children’s collection, as well as comic and graphic novels – and then buy them directly from the website. Bookends.ae.
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PANPAN CUCU DUBAI: This preloved quality kids’ clothes concept was created in Dubai by two chic French mums, who will both buy your second-hand children’s clothes from you, and from whom you can buy gorgeous preloved kids’ clothing and accessories at sales they organise every two months. They often partner with well-known thrift store Retold, located on Umm Suqeim Road, for their regular sales. The next one is this weekend on 26 and 27 February 2021, 10am to 6am at Retold. Follow @Panpancucudubai to find out about their sales, and see @ShopRetold for details on the weekend sale.
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THE OLD LIBRARY: The Old Library, established in 1969, is the oldest English language Library in Dubai catering to the needs of the English speaking expatriate community. It is a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers and licensed under the Dubai Community Development Authority. Now based in premises in the Gold and Diamond Park, you can search for your desired tome online, or turn up to immerse yourself and your little one between the wise old shelves of both old and modern books, with a large childrens collection. Family membership to the Old Library is Dh220 per year, open Sat-Thurs, 10am-6pm, Theoldlibrary.ae.
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TOYIT: This is an online classifieds platform dedicated to children’s toys, books, clothes, gear and accessories, which was launched in January 2020. It is designed to help parents sell, exchange, give away, or donate to charities lightly used items or unwanted gifts easily, conveniently, and securely. Browse to find cut-price kids’ items – with many being given away entirely for free – or use it to declutter your own home when your little one has grown out of things. TOYIT has partnered with the Emirates Red Crescent, Hope Factory, and Toys with Wings to allow parents easy access to charitable in-kind donations. www.toyit.today
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HOUSE OF PROSE: This lovely secondhand bookshop is a Dubai institution dating back to the 1990s, where you can find a large selection of children’s books, as well as fiction and non-fiction for adults, all at low price points. Every book comes with the distinctive House of Prose stamp, and you are guaranteed to be able to sell back the books for half price once you’ve finished with them. There are now three Dubai locations – Box Park, JLT and in the basement at Town Square Center.
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BABY BAZAAR: If you’re on the hunt for new baby and child gear then Baby Bazaar at Times Square Center on Sheikh Zayed Road is the perfect place to bag an absolute bargain on quality kids’ clothes, toys and accessories, from strollers and car seats to Jumperoos, baby walkers, weaning machines, books and much more. Although everything is pre-loved, there are regulations over the scope and standard of what can be sold here (this is no flea market), and being the UAE’s only market designed specifically for and by mums, it’s also full of sellers and shoppers who can give you advice and inspiration if needed. Or do you have a lot of old baby stuff that you could do with getting rid of? Why not sign up to the market and make some money from it? (tables from Dh200). DETAILS: The Baby Bazaar is held at Times Square Center on Sheikh Zayed Road on the last Saturday and first Friday of every month, 9am-2pm, www.Babybazaar.org.
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FIND YOUR BOOK WITH DUBAI PUBLIC LIBRARIES APP: The Dubai Public Libraries smart app has just announced a new ‘Find Your Book’ initiative, which enables you to search for any book, and it will show you which of Dubai’s many libraries it is in, with a link to a map to show you where in Dubai they are, and the opening hours. Most of Dubai’s public libraries have dedicated children’s libraries, and you can become a member with your Emirates ID and Dh200 for a family membership (refundable deposit).
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