Little people type toys

[brokenmummy]

Hi, My DS is 14 mo and in dire need of some new toys.

I want to get some little people, but not really taken by the FP Little People, what do your kids like? Is Happyland nicer? Or are there any others I should consider? I really like wooden toys and DS has a little wooden man which he loves. Is there anything wooden like FP little people?

Am notoriously indecisive and a bit anal about buying new things and like to be consistent i.e. if I buy a little people set I'll have to only by little people from then on and couldn't possibly allow a happy land man into the mix!

Thanks!

I prefer Happyland to Little People - lots more to buy and different types of sets. ELC has just revamped it all so there's a new style to the 'town' range. They've re-released the pirate ship and castle though so there's a great choice atm.

They're always updating too - so there was a Royal Wedding set last year, and Olympic themed sets this year. Lots of fun. There's often a sale on and you can get 20% off online this month by using BC0812 at the checkout. I'm a bit obsessed in love with Happyland tbh

Don't know about wooden people - someone else may be along about that though

We have some wooden people in the dolls house we were given, but they are basically peg dolls, in what appear to be homemade clothes (just squares of material with head and arm holes cut out) and they have wool for hair - so would be really easy to make if you can get hold of some old fashioned pegs and pipe cleaners for arms. LO has always loved playing with them since she was about 15MO.

They look similar to these: www.toysdirect.com/wooden_doll_friends.html?source=googlebase

www.thechildmindingshop.co.uk/bendy-wooden-dolls---children-3647-p.asp

Thankyou. Another question - does Duplo fill the same role - i.e. small people, buildings, animals etc or is that a whole other toy in itself? I think he'd like duplo.

I'm a bit clueless as you can tell! It is all looking very expensive, eek.

DD2 is also 14 months. She has some FP Little People stuff, a bit of Playmobil 123, and some Duplo.
At the moment, she seems to like the Duplo best, she's been playing with it (ie destroying meticulously built structures) with her big sister a fair bit recently.

I like Playmobil 123 personally, but the figures are a bit less chunky - I like that as it takes up less space to store, but I suppose chunky figures are easier to hold.

Ooh I love proper playmobil - am I right in thinking playmobil 123 is just more solid for smaller kids but looks the same? Is it much more expensive? Am off to do some research!

I like the Duplo people because you can do so much more with them, they can sit and hold things, so have much more play value as children get older.
Last for years too.

DD1 got the Noahs Ark for her first birthday since then we have added loads mostly FP Little People and some Happyland, it's on the fourth child now and still looks great. DS has the Fire Engine and loads of car things as well as all the inherited stuff. I got a few sets on eBay as well.

Fantastic toys, played with for years in fact if it all comes out all 4 will play with it and DD1 is 8 now

Am loving the look of playmobil 123. Love duplo too. Think it's a toss up between those two!

My 15 month dd me loves the happyland people. I am like you, and can't bear the idea of mixing them up. (am also counting down the days til she's the magic 36 months required for chucking all this out and getting the Sylvannian Families John Lewis department store whether she wants it or not.

I have been waiting for someone to mention the new Happyland architecture. Have they no respect? Doors and windows should be rectangular ffs.

We have Wow Toys in this house, DD loves them (as do I), they good from 18 months to (I would say) about age 6/7. They are a lot smaller than little people (so maybe less babyish to older kids?) and the vehicles are really clever and run without batteries.

Really recommend the camper van and the helicopter both well loved here.

I hated the little people far too bulky (and cluttered up my house). Happyland is good also but they don't really sell it where I live.

www.wowtoys.com

Oh I am so indecisive! I love the playmobil but there seems to be so much more choice with happy land. Plus they do a London bus which DS will love!

Off to look at Wow Toys now, thanks for the tip!

My LO LOVES her happy land house, abd mny mum got her the 'London' set (taxi, red bus, queen etc!) too. I agree there is lots you can add to this and i really like them. That said, I'm not very anal, so she mixes it with Duplo Zoo and a farm set she was given (not sure of make). I do like the Happy Land best of those though, although Duplo also great as obviously can be creative with that. But for make believe play, a Happy Land house is ideal.

my parents still have my old FP stuff,and I wish they still made it like that, as she loves them ( Zoom park set, hospital), but I'm not fussed on the current FP stuff.

Id go for Happy Land and then when they are old enough for the 'proper' Playmobil then they can outgrow the Happyland and grow into older Playmobil