Both my dc have always preferred more realistic looking figures and toys rather than the primary colour cartoon style stuff you usually get for babies and toddlers.
Why don't they make them look more real with less garish colours but still in large pieces so as not to be choking hazards? I know allegedly that babies prefer bright colours but surely by 12 months they could have toys that looked more like what they were meant to be!
Dd is obsessed with ds's playmobil because the people look like real people and when ds was that age he hated the babyish style cars with eyes etc and wanted the more grown up ones!