Playmobil

[Buntybear]

I was thinking about getting some of this for Olly. Fisher price and Mothercare type toys are just a bit young for him so thought this might be more age appropriate at 3.5?

Any advice or recommendations on where to start?

[anna*]

Stan got the helicopter for his 3rd birthday and it was a HUGE hit. Still is.

[KathrynK]

As you know we got loads for Alex for his 4th birthday. Some bits are more fiddly than othèrs. I would have a look at the different sets and see what you think he would like. I still have to build the zoo enclosures for Alex but once it is done he plays with it for aaaaages
Xx

[michaeljacknnugg]

Ditto - we love that helicopter and he's had it since he was 2.5. Also the fire engine, police car (flashing lights) and fire rescue boat (winches onto trailer) were well loved. Unfortunately the phase has not lasted though they do get played with when he has friends over.

[Buntybear]

Well I am just ordering Alex's knights set so thought I might bung Olly a set too. Fire Station would seem best for Olly but so predictable. Wondering if I should get him something else.

Do you need to have one big set to start with or are the little bits, like a helicopter, OK on their own?

[michaeljacknnugg]

I'd say bits on their own. We only had the police station and it got an awful lot less play than the other items - hence it's now been sold on.

[C&B&E]

Ooh we LOVE playmobil here!  It's pretty much all Ben plays with.  He's got loads of dfferent construction/builders stuff (mostly from ebay - crane, tipper truck, scaffolding etc, and loads of builders), and then we've added things like these tiny real bricks http://www.321toys.co.uk/ctb_m-tef-4090_teifoc_assorted_brick_set.htm and he just sets up whole cities/construction sites. 

I like the fact that with the builders stuff it means he can incorporate his other toys into the play at the same time - so he'll 'build' a new road, and have traffic lights/barriers/traffic cones stopping his cars in traffic jams, or he'll use duplo or wooden blocks to build buildings for the playmobil chaps to work on.  Or get the train track out for them to work on.  Oh, we've got lots of rocks that he tips out of tippers etc too.  So there is lots of ways play can be expanded, which is why he is happy to play with it for several hours a day and has done for the past 18 months  !

[Buntybear]

Oh good idea Claire. He has just got back into his wooden train track and we have started adding a station and houses etc with his duplo. I could buy him some bits as you have said to add to that. I think he would love someone building or fixing the track!

[Buntybear]

LOLOL I typed Playmobil builder into Amazon and the item was a Portaloo!!!!


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Construction-Portable-Bathroom-Toilet-With/dp/B0002HYC96/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1379269714&sr=1-1&keywords=playmobil+builder

[C&B&E]

lol we've got one 

[KathrynK]

Ha ha that's brilliant!

[shivi]

We love it here - Emma's well into it now.

All we've had really is tiny bits and pieces (toy shop here hands out surprise playmobils when you buy lots of clothes/toys) over the years and around 4 advent calenders as well as random animals. Emma loves the forest scenes she can build with the trees from advent calenders and the random princesses from freebies!

Oscar was never really into it as much - it was still all cars (Cars the film) at that age I think. He had a few random guys and got the playmobil football pitch for Christmas when he was almost 5 but it wasn't such a great hit with him.

S x

[C&B&E]

This is what we started off with - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Playmobil-Set-3126-Roadwork-Road-Construction-Set-inc-3-Figures-Box-Instructions-/171118708403?pt=UK_Toys_Creative_Educational_RL&hash=item27d77846b3 and he just used it with some other cars and diggers etc.  I think we paid about £10 on ebay.  thats a good thing about playmobil is that apart from sometimes losing tiny pieces it wears really well, and so second hand stuff is great.  We've got lots of retro stuff from when DH was a kid - pirate ship and houses - and it's all the same as nowadays!

[creations]

Looking forward to DS to be old enough for playmobil, I'm sooo excited!  I love it.

This is a great list of the least appropriate playmobil sets, quite amusing if you haven't seen it before
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/07/the_17_least_appropriate_playmobil_sets_for_childr.php

[KathrynK]

Love it!