By Kim Conti, Founder of Orbit Crates
Last night, my five year old son asked me for a new minifigure to add to an existing collection. This was after the previous night, when he had purchased a different minifigure (using his own money from a coffee stand he set up). As the founder of a company that champions reducing toy consumption, I couldn’t help but cringe. All my preaching about doing more with less, and our consumption culture was still baiting my kids. It made me wonder… how can we possibly combat this world of buy more?
My initial instinct was to give the usual speech: “We don’t need more stuff!” Or worse, I could’ve taken the easy route and hit “buy now,” saving the life lesson for another day. But something stopped me. Instead of reacting, I took a moment to assess the situation. I wanted to feel what he was feeling—and, honestly, to acknowledge what I was feeling, too.
It was the end of a long week. Dinner wasn’t quite ready. I was tired and admittedly, scrolling on my phone, pushing down feelings of stress with screen time. My son was also tired after a long kindergarten day. He wasn’t just asking for a toy—he was asking for connection. And I wasn’t giving it to him.
Why Do We Fill the Void with “Stuff”?
In that moment, I asked him why he wanted another minifigure. What was it about this toy that meant so much to him? I resisted the urge to rush through the conversation or brush him off. Instead, I sat down with him, face-to-face, and listened.
That’s when the magic happened.
He told me all about the colors and designs he liked. He shared how his friend on the bus liked to talk about these minifigures. I learned more about his friend. We talked about setting up a play date.
As we talked, I realized this wasn’t about the toy. It was about how this toy sparked new ideas, new connections, and unlocked a new world for him. But instead of falling into the trap that he needed more stuff to expand this world we connected & created. We decided to draw our own minifigures together. My older kids joined in. We brainstormed what castles or accessories we could create to expand play with the toys he already had. Suddenly, the focus shifted from getting more to creating more—and rediscovering joy in what was already in front of us.
Filling Our Cups with Connection, Not Consumption
This simple pause—asking why instead of reacting—gave me a glimpse into my own habits too. Why do I buy when I’m stressed? Why do I scroll instead of engage? Sometimes it’s just easier to fill the void with things instead of feelings. As a parent of 3, I get it. We are busy and tired. But what if we do less to be more present? What if we slow down and enjoy what’s in front of us? If my scrolling resulted in signing up for one more thing or purchasing something of my own, I was ultimately setting my future self up for more work. The things both he and I were looking for in the moment were right in front of us.
I also believe that while toys can introduce the power of play for kids, too many toys has stifled our kids creativity. It seems like every set now comes with 30+ pieces. Pieces that no parent can deal with, and kids don’t need to come up with their own imaginative settings. Imagine if for every accessory set our kids built them instead of bought them.
What my son needed that night wasn’t another toy. He needed me. We both needed to connect, feel our feelings, and fill our cups with creativity instead of toys or stuff.
How Orbit Crates Helps Break the Cycle
At Orbit Crates, we’re not just about reducing toy clutter - we’re about replacing mindless consumption with meaningful play. (And despite what my kids might tell you, I don’t hate toys… I just wish we had fewer of them!) Renting toys allows kids to experience new things without the endless cycle of acquiring and discarding. Even if we think we will eventually pass toys on, we first should question if we need to own them in the first place.
When you rent with Orbit Crates, you’re not just choosing fewer toys - you’re choosing more connection. More conversations about why a certain toy sparks joy. More time spent rediscovering the toys you have right in front of you. And more moments where we, as parents, can put down the distractions and truly see our kids.
Because at the end of the day, what they need most isn’t another toy—it’s us.