♻️ A New Way to Play: Why We’re Rethinking Toys

Every parent knows the feeling: toys piling up in corners, under sofas, in storage bins... and yet, somehow, the kids are still bored. At the same time, many of those toys — made of plastic, noisy, blinking, broken — quietly make their way to the trash.

I started asking: Is this really the best we can do?

My answer was: No. And I started doing something about it that does not exist in Norway.

🌍 Lekoteket is a Social Enterprise with a Mission

Social enterprise means that we use business as a tool to create real, positive change. Instead of focusing on profit, we focus on our mission:

1. To reduce plastic waste caused by short-lived, mass-produced toys

2. To give children access to safer, better, more meaningful toys

3. To challenge the toy industry to rethink how toys are made — and who they serve

⚠️ The Problem with Toys Today

Let’s be honest — most modern toys aren’t designed to last. They’re flashy, noisy, cheaply made, and quickly forgotten. Children lose interest fast, or the toy breaks, or it never really supported any meaningful play in the first place.

Meanwhile, parents are stuck in a cycle: constantly buying new toys to keep up with their child’s growth and interests — and constantly cleaning up clutter they no longer need.

The toy industry is built on this pattern: more production, more plastic, more waste.

🔁 What If Toys Could Be Shared?

Imagine if toys didn’t need to be owned by each family. What if they could be borrowed — like books from a library?

That’s what Lekoteket offers: a shared toy collection. Families borrow toys, play, then return them when it’s time for something new.

It’s a gentle shift with big benefits:

✅ You save money and space

✅ Your child gets variety and quality

✅ The planet gets a break from plastic waste

🛠️ We Want the Toy Industry to Do Better

Lekoteket isn’t here to replace all toys. But we are here to offer another way — and to show that small choices matter.

If more families start borrowing, the message becomes clearer:

• We want toys that are built to last

• We want safer materials

• We want less packaging and more responsibility

✨ Looking Ahead: More Toy Libraries, Closer to Home

We hope to see a future where:

🏡 Every community has access to a local toy library
👶 Children can explore developmentally appropriate toys
💡 Parents can discover what works — without pressure to buy
🌱 Homes feel calmer, lighter, and more intentional

💚 One Toy at a Time

Every time a family borrows a toy instead of buying one, it’s a small but meaningful choice:

🌍 A choice for the environment
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A choice for thoughtful parenting
👶 A choice for richer childhoods

Lekoteket is here to make that choice easier.

Welcome to a different way to play — and grow.