to feel paralysed choosing between Playmobil & Lego?!

[suddenlycupishalffull]

DD1 is 3.5. She played with HappyLand but has outgrown it, so DD2 (nearly 1) is happily chewing on those. So I'm looking for a new small world set for DD1 as she loves that sort of stuff, but it all seems so much more complicated than when I was little!! There are so many different sets and I don't get the difference between Paymobil & Lego... and what on earth is Lego Friends?! I'd like something small for her stocking to start her new small world collection off - what should I get? And should I be getting the baby Duplo?! pours self large glass of wine before hitting google again!

I would say Duplo is perfect for both 3.5yo and 1yo. 'Proper' Lego and/or Playmobil from about 5yo imo.

Depends. Does she like imaginary pretend role play or building things and creating worlds?

Personally, I'd go for playmobil, less choking hazards (and you can remove them and still have a quality set) for DD2, and the first time you step on a lego will be the last time you want the fuckers in your house.

We went for duplo/lego, funny how everyone seems to have one or the other!

Well playmobil is ready made (once you've put it together it stays together) whereas Lego you make and break your creations. Depends what she prefers. Lego might be tricky/frustrating for 3.5 yr old fingers, some of the bits are tiny. Playmobil is easier to handle and the tiny bits like shoes, knives and forks can be put away without spoiling its playability. However my DS has already outgrown his playmobil at 6, so it didnt last as long as I'd hoped.

I find that younger kids love Lego people but the actual sets are too much for them. Too fiddly and they just break them into pieces. There is younger Lego which I didn't get and I really wish I had.
Lego friends is a bit scary - emaciated girl shapes. I bought it for a friend's dd (I have a son) and was aghast when I saw it.

Playmobil 123 is great but she is possibly a little old for it. You never outgrow big playmobil. Does she already have lego duplo ?

What about slyvanians?

Not lego, she is a bit young. some love it at that she bit usually those with big siblings.

Playmobil is small world play.

lego and duplo are building toys. duplo is great though and she is at a great age for it.

Yabu

Play Mobil is clearly better!

Playmobil is brilliant! Lego may be too small and fiddley for a 3 year old.

The playmobil dinosaurs are brilliant. My 5yo DS loves lego, but it' seen tricky keeping 2yo DD from breaking up his creations. They both love playing together with the playmobil.

Playmobil and lego and completely different, surely?

We are a Lego house but if your dd is more into creating imaginary worlds, playmobil might be more up her street.

I have boys who have loved the knock down and build back up element of Lego and creating mad space ships and stuff.

I've just bought duplo for Christmas for my dnephew who is 2.3. I think Lego is for 4+ really.

Dd loved Happyland when tiny. She moved onto Sylvanian Families.

I see playmobil and Lego as two different types of toys.

Ahhhhhhh it's all becoming clear...no as unreasonable as it sounds, I didn't understand that the point of Playmobil is small world play and the point of Lego is to build then play with the small world you've created. I feel like I should get some Lego to show willing but I find the building of things incredibly boring, yet am v excited by small world stuff (have loved shopping for her dolls house this Christmas!!) so I'm drawn to Playmobil...but I've also got to consider DD2 as she beetles into DD1's room and makes a beeline for her toys...I'm constantly hovering over her for fear of tiny objects, so choking hazards are a definite consideration but also something that can engage them both and be passed down to DD2 eventually. Paymobil looking like a strong favourite then...

Well your choice is between spending three hours on Christmas Eve painstakingly assembling and putting stickers on the Playmobil, or finding yourself searching the house for missing Lego pieces for the rest of your life (you will only find them by stepping on them in the dark).

But seriously, Playmobil is much better at that age, it is impossible to break, everything that comes off can be easily clicked back on and it doesn't fall into eleventy-million parts as soon as you turn your back. Lego isn't as we remember it. The kits are much more specific which makes it harder to use imagination IYSWIM? We bought a few kits, DH and DS put them together and DS instantly 'crashes' them, and it gets into all the corners and the Hoover.

All the Playmobil we have got so far (mainly dinosaurs and diggers) are designed so well that they don't look babyish so they have loads of years of play in them and I intend to keep it all for our grandchildren.

The dinosaurs are great, Get those just to spite my DM who thinks that girls can't like dinosaurs. Only joking, go on the Playmobil site and look at the range, there is so much variety. DS got some old Playmobil from a neighbor and loves the camper van and plane too.

I promise I don't work for Playmobil!

I would go for Lego duplo at that age, particularly if you can get one of the larger sets. Both mine (DS now 5 and DD 4) started on duplo and though they now play with 'proper' lego mainly, the duplo is still hugely popular with them. They love building tall towers and huge buildings. We had one playmobil set but they didn't enjoy it so much, they can be so creative with lego.

Lego is just as good as Playmobil for imaginary play.my boys had the supermarket around that age and ADORED it, many many hours were spent playing shops and robbers with it.

Lego duplo supermarket, I mean. Would definitely leave the proper lego for a couple of years.

I would get her a small set of each and see which she tends to play with.

My DD loved Playmobil, while her little brother loved Lego. I wouldn't say Playmobil has fewer choking hazards unless you go for the toddler version (1-2-3).

At 3.5 she definitely doesn't need baby Duplo (is it still called Primo?) That's for babies and toddlers - 6 months and up.

I would go for the Duplo, DD had it from 2 and was still playing with it with her brother at 7. No small bits, endlessly creative.

We have massive tubs of Lego bricks that she started playing with around 6yo, when her brother was old enough to not eat it. At 9 and 5 the Lego is the most played with toy in the house, they play the most amazing imaginative games with it together. We dont buy the kits really, just the bricks, any kits they get given get assimilated into the hoard very quickly and reimagined. On average they play with it for 2 hours a day.

They also have huge amounts of Playmobil. The buildings are very frustrating, they seem to fall apart a lot, but the smaller sets and vehicles are fabulous.

If she liked Happyland I'd go for playmobil or sylvanian families, they are similar to happyland. Lego is more about construction.
DS2 (aged 2) is getting playmobil for Christmas, he doesn't put small parts in his mouth (though I still supervise him to make sure).

My 4 year old is getting his first Lego this year but our main toy of that ilk will still be duplo - I'd get the used to duplo first and buy play sets with little people :-)

I bought DS lego on his 5th bday and he has had loads since. He absolutely loves Lego but 3.5 is a bit young. Get her playmobil now and Lego later :)
And Lego friends is infuriating pink and purple Lego to appeal to girls

DD turns three this week, so has a little mix of both for her birthday and christmas. They are both "fiddly" in their own way, but Playmobil is my favourite. Ive got her some room sets and put them in a wooden dolls house for her birthday and the school for christmas.

Lego wise, Ive got her a set that comes with instrucrions to build three simple ish structures from the sam kit. My family have also got her some Lego (wheels,bases, bricks and doors etc).

I imagine at this age she will gravitate more to the Playbobil but by six/eigh mi ths time she will be into the Lego too.