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App to help kids trade unwanted toys at school

Posted at 6:56 AM, Jan 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-05 08:40:47-05

Want to trade? A new app acts as a kid to kid marketplace for trading toys, sports equipment, Pokemon cards--even clothes. 

The app is called KidsTrade and it aims to help friends trade with friends in a fun and functional way.

"I have kids...and most of the people who work on the app are parents," said Chief Marketing Officer of KidsTrade Kelly Harrison. 

They said the idea for the app came from conversation between parents about how expensive it was to buy new toys and sporting equipment as kids continue to explore their interests. 

"Your child gets it for Christmas and by January 5, they are over it," Harrison said. 

The app only lets you trade with people you already know. KidsTrade links kids with friends and classmates at the school they attend. The users verify their school by entering their homeroom teacher. 

When they want to make a trade, users simply snap a picture of the item and add a little description. When someone sees it in their shop and likes it, they invite the owner to trade. If both parties agree, they can exchange items at school or the bus stop.

There are parental controls, too. Adults are the only ones who can register their child on the app. KidsTrade also notifies parents of younger users whenever an item is posted or if a trade seems unfair.

Harrison says the app is growing in popularity among middle schoolers. The most popular item to trade: Pokemon cards, of course. 

She suggests a group of friends from school joining it together--so that they have friends to trade with immediately. 

The app is available for iOS and Android devices. It’s also free to download.

More information here.