Buying toys secondhand

Why it works so well for the toys we recommend

The properties that make a toy last — open-ended, no electronics, nothing to degrade — are exactly the properties that make it survive a previous owner. Blocks, bricks, figures, track and construction sets are effectively indestructible, and a complete secondhand set frequently costs less than two new pieces.

It is also, straightforwardly, the most environmentally sound purchase available in this category, and by a wide margin over any new toy of any material.

Excellent secondhand

• Construction systems. Bricks, DUPLO, magnetic tiles, wooden blocks. They do not wear out, and quantity is exactly what these systems need.
• Figures and animals. Solid, washable, nothing to break.
• Wooden track and vehicles. Close to an open standard, so mixed lots work together.
• Board games and puzzles — if complete. Count the pieces before buying; a missing component is what makes these worthless rather than wear.
• Outdoor plastic. Sandboxes, water tables, ride-ons. Expect sun fading, which is cosmetic. Check for cracks, which are not.

Not worth it

• Anything electronic. Corroded contacts, dead rechargeable cells and no replacement parts.
• Soft toys for the mouthing stage, unless they can be machine washed hot.
• Anything with a broken battery compartment, particularly coin cells. This is a genuine hazard rather than an inconvenience.
• Car seats and safety equipment — not toys, but they come up in the same listings. Never buy these used.
• Painted items from before 2008 for a child who still mouths things, since they predate current lead limits.

The three checks

1. Search the recall database. The CPSC list is public and searchable in under a minute. Recalled items circulate on the secondhand market indefinitely, because a recall never reaches the second owner.
2. Open the battery compartment. It should close with a screw and the screw should be present. Corrosion inside means the toy has had leaking cells in it, which is a reason to leave it.
3. Flex it and look at the edges. Old plastic goes brittle and cracks into sharp edges; old wood splinters where the finish has gone. Both are visible in ten seconds.

Cleaning what you bring home

Hard plastic: warm soapy water, or a mesh bag on a gentle dishwasher cycle for bricks — not hot, which can warp them. Wood: wipe with a damp cloth and dry immediately; never soak, since wood swells and the finish lifts. Fabric: hot machine wash if the label allows. Let everything dry completely before it goes in a box, particularly anything with a cavity.

Where to look

Local buy-and-sell groups and community marketplaces are usually best for the large items, because collection is easy and the pricing is realistic. Charity shops are good for games and puzzles — check completeness in the shop. Nurseries and preschools occasionally clear stock, which is where the best construction lots come from. And hand-me-downs within a family are the best version of all of it: known history, no cost, and someone to ask about the missing pieces.