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I know.
It's one of those great questions of the 21st century, isn't it? Up there with Are those bones Richard III's? (very excited to find out they are, by the way), How can we solve third world debt? and What on earth is quantitative easing, anyway?
Playmobil or lego?
What do you think?
Two weekends ago we went to stay with some friends. They had a big selection of duplo: houses, hospitals, police stations and the like, and L absolutely loved it. Not the construction element of it, but the playing imaginatively, creating tiny worlds.
It's her sixth birthday in three months time and as she is completely obsessed by planning it, I am becoming so too, and this weekend rather inspired me on the present front.
But at six she's clearly too old for duplo.
So should it be lego - on the basis that you get imaginative play and the inspirational foundations of a glittering career as a celebrity architect (maybe) - and if so, which bit of branding? How much do we hate lego friends a year or so after its launch, or is it not as bad as all that? Or if we shy away from that and the movie tie-ins is there anything in the lego city that isn't fuelled entirely by speed and agression?
Or do we go with tried and tested, hasn't changed in thirty years (still can't walk) playmobil: no construction, but a world of different sets to play with, each of which more reflects how she was playing with the duplo? Even though it's, somehow, not quite as cool as lego.
Or is that just me?
And while you're at it, should they all have had capital letters?
Monday, 4 February 2013
12 comments:
I know. I'm sorry. I hate these word recognition, are you a robot, guff things too, but having just got rid of a large number of ungrammatical and poorly spelt adverts for all sorts of things I don't want, and especially don't want on my blog, I'm hoping that this will mean that only lovely people, of the actually a person variety, will comment.
So please do. Comments are great...
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Lego friends is super popular here for the dual construction and role play element. I'm not sure why people got so aerated about the whole 'girl Lego' thing. As far as I'm concerned the building element is identical and it has a bit more interest for L to play with a cafe than a rocket at the moment. No doubt she'll end up with other types of Lego too...
ReplyDeleteThat said, she also got a Playmobil playground set which is *amazing* and I couldn't recommend it enough..
My children just didn't like Playmobil at all. Odd, but true. They didn't like Lego all that much either, except Star Wars, and Bionicles (guessing that's not L's cup of tea).
ReplyDeleteAs a toy shop sales assistant, I just wish that the two companies could have chosen different colours for their packaging. Those blues are identical, and it made life confusing.
Lego here. and lego friends has been a massive hit with my 7 year old and I do kiln it too. we have a massive box of lego that gets used lots by both of my children.
ReplyDeleteOr both? My son is a Lego nut, for my daughter it's Playmobil every time
ReplyDeleteMy daughter didn't like the Lego Friends stuff at all a. Because it was pink and purple and she's not a 'girlie girl' and b. because they changed the minifugures. But her Playmobil vet/zoo/farmyard set has COMPLETELY taken over my dining room table!
Both............ The boys play with both at different times and the thing is LEGO is more of a construction toy here for Maxi and a small world toy for Mini.
ReplyDeleteLego is brilliant - our two love playing with the 'little lego' - Bigger can build it (which is good time to spend one on one with us) and then the two of them take it away to play characters with
ReplyDeleteOnly trouble with both ideas is all the little bits that need taking care of ...
Playmobil doesn't hurt quite so much when you stand on it.
ReplyDeleteWe have all three. Hamish still loves his Duplo even though he is now at the outer limits of the suggested age range, but also loves proper Lego for the greater accuracy when building. Now Playmobil we have tons of because I love it. I had it as a kid and adored it, and when we lived in Germany there was just so much of it available second hand that I couldn't resist until Stevie put a ban on me buying any more. Trouble is I think I love it far more than the kids. Orla does have and love the princess castle, but I will warn you now, those little flowers that seem on be part of all the girly sets will drive you to near insanity.
I think I enjoyed playing with Rory's Playmobil more than he did. I bought a camper van and a fire engine and loved putting all the things together. Rory wasn't so fussed with it, enjoying Lego more. But I think only you can know your child so small amounts of both maybe?
ReplyDeleteWell, they are obviously not Richard III's bones, I mean what was he doing in a car park, seriously though the whole project has been amazing.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, lots of spam on here, which is a shame as this is a great post. Mine always loved Lego, but the new 'sexed' sets would annoy me if I were buying now. Mine never took to Playmobil so life was easy, all four thrived on hand-me-down Lego (and yes we still have it in the house, teens love it too!)
ReplyDeleteAaaaaaaaaaaargh! Spam! All gone now though and thanks to Kim for pointing it out - I thought google did a pretty good job of getting rid of it at source but obviously not. Am off to turn on the word recognition stuff (reluctantly).
ReplyDeleteThat aside thanks to all for the hints and tips. Still undecided but I supposed I've got until April... And may end up going down the "both" route anyway!
Testing, testing. One two, one two...
ReplyDelete