'Kids Trade' App Lets School Kids Swap Unwanted Toys With Other Students

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- 'Tis the season for shopping, and many parents know toys can have a short shelf life. It doesn't take long for kids to lose interest.

As CBS2's Emily Smith reported, there is a new way for kids to trade toys.

Farah and Ali Ardehali love to shop, but living in Manhattan means there's limited space and cash for everything. That's where kids trade comes in. A new free app allows school children to swap items. Parents get an alert email and approve the trade or not.

"Like, I got stuffed animals, a necklace, and this sweater I am wearing I got from my friend at school," Farah said.

It's up to the kids to do the work. You snap a photo of the item, post it, and then an email goes to the parent.

"Every now and then I will get an email about an uneven trade," Jennifer said, "As much as I realize it isn't an even trade pricewise, I am fine with it because what she is trying to trade has been sitting in the corner for months."

It's not just game, it's nail polish, clothes, even handmade items.

Kelly Harrison helped found Kids Trade out of frustration after being frustrated by her sons getting bored with a new toy after twenty minutes.

"We connect kids to only kids in their own school, so there's always a familiar face, and you're not trading with a stranger or an adult," she said.

The trade gets made at the bust stop or after school.

Parents admit, it's another app, and another online tool, but it seems to eliminate unnecessary trips to the toy store.

In a way, parents said, it teaches kids to put down the iPad and play like kids used to.

Kids as young as 4 can join Kids Trade, the only criteria is that they have to be in school.