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February 6th, 2011
So, Wilsonville now has a Swap & Play (and on Facebook). Seeing the sign, I checked it out online to see if I could learn more about it. The page for it is...minimal, but present. It didn't look that impressive. But what stunned me is the fees.
A swap and play is a space you can go to with your kids and they can play, an indoor play area, as well as swap toys/clothes with other families. Yes, they do have to pay for utilities and space (in this case just utilities, the space is apparently being donated), and being small they don't get the economies of scale a larger business might.
The fact remains that the cost for this thing is a one-time $20 joining fee plus $20/month in three-month increments (so, basically, $60/three months is more accurate). Ignoring the one-time joining fee entirely, that's $240 a year.
Now, granted it has the advantage of being local to me, so heading to things further away has a transportation and time cost. Still....
OMSI membership for a family (2 adults and 4 children) per year: $90. Portland Children's museum membership for a family per year (2+4): $85. Zoo membership for a family per year (2+any children): $79. So, that's $254 a year for all three. Of course, that's with no guests - the Swap & Play allows one guest per month. (The more expensive memberships at each of these three do allow guests - one per DAY.)
Which is less than the first year of Swap & Play, $14 more than subsequent years, more driving/travel expenses, but a LOT more options and play. Oh, and the Swap & Play is only open Monday thru Saturday while the others are open seven days a week. Of course, it's smaller and if you happen to be there at the same time as others it would let you get to know people. And it doesn't require as long a trip, which I can see being nice.
But not that nice. That's expensive. And if I think so, I can't imagine anyone for whom the transportation issue is prohibitive is going to be real thrilled with the cost either. Meh. It seemed like such a bright spot when I first saw the sign, now...I wish them luck, but it seems like a bad idea. :P
Besides, you could compare it to either the Children's Museum or OMSI alone and still get more options with the bigger name, for way less money...and then it's even more of a humongous expense. And it's not a daycare facility or similar where other people watch your kids, so it's not like it has that aspect to the cost. And all the quoted fees above assume you pay full price - I've been told the Children's Museum has membership assistance based on need and it wouldn't surprise me if the other two did also. (Perhaps the Swap & Play also does. But...they have to get some people to pay the $240 or that may not help much.)
A swap and play is a space you can go to with your kids and they can play, an indoor play area, as well as swap toys/clothes with other families. Yes, they do have to pay for utilities and space (in this case just utilities, the space is apparently being donated), and being small they don't get the economies of scale a larger business might.
The fact remains that the cost for this thing is a one-time $20 joining fee plus $20/month in three-month increments (so, basically, $60/three months is more accurate). Ignoring the one-time joining fee entirely, that's $240 a year.
Now, granted it has the advantage of being local to me, so heading to things further away has a transportation and time cost. Still....
OMSI membership for a family (2 adults and 4 children) per year: $90. Portland Children's museum membership for a family per year (2+4): $85. Zoo membership for a family per year (2+any children): $79. So, that's $254 a year for all three. Of course, that's with no guests - the Swap & Play allows one guest per month. (The more expensive memberships at each of these three do allow guests - one per DAY.)
Which is less than the first year of Swap & Play, $14 more than subsequent years, more driving/travel expenses, but a LOT more options and play. Oh, and the Swap & Play is only open Monday thru Saturday while the others are open seven days a week. Of course, it's smaller and if you happen to be there at the same time as others it would let you get to know people. And it doesn't require as long a trip, which I can see being nice.
But not that nice. That's expensive. And if I think so, I can't imagine anyone for whom the transportation issue is prohibitive is going to be real thrilled with the cost either. Meh. It seemed like such a bright spot when I first saw the sign, now...I wish them luck, but it seems like a bad idea. :P
Besides, you could compare it to either the Children's Museum or OMSI alone and still get more options with the bigger name, for way less money...and then it's even more of a humongous expense. And it's not a daycare facility or similar where other people watch your kids, so it's not like it has that aspect to the cost. And all the quoted fees above assume you pay full price - I've been told the Children's Museum has membership assistance based on need and it wouldn't surprise me if the other two did also. (Perhaps the Swap & Play also does. But...they have to get some people to pay the $240 or that may not help much.)
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