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Original poster

Yesterday I entered the dark and mysterious world of PLAYMOBIL

478 replies

Slubberdegullion · 08/04/2008 18:57

dd1 was 4 yesterday and recieved a pony riding show ground box of wonderousness.

There are a lot of little bits though aren't there? And a small yellow minature screw driver that I am still unsure about.

I have a lasting memory of entering Chippy's ds's bedroom and the whole room was a giant playmobil diorama.

So I need tips.

Do you pack the kits away in special boxes or just let free mixing occur ?(I am a wee bit anal)

Are there any universal 'you must have this item' bits.

How long will this playmobil phase last? Will I be buying a lot more of this stuff?
There are an awful lot of little bits.

OP posts:
SoMuchToBits · 17/04/2008 11:51

Don't think they do it as an advent calendar, Kathy, but they do a Christmas crib scene, and three wise Kings!

Kathyis6incheshigh · 17/04/2008 11:55

Oh I see. That means I will have to get an advent calendar and a crib, and my dcs I will become spoilt!

hollyhobbie · 17/04/2008 12:00

I've got the nativity scene and we made it into an advent calender ourselves by dividing it into 24 separate parcels, iyswim.
You have to buy the 3 kings separately though. And the angel has a wand, which makes him/her a bit like a fairy, but that could be to do with the German "Christkind" thing, which I've never 100% understood (I think it's an amalgamation of the Christchild and Angel Gabriel).

DD didn't really have a clue about the Christmas Story last year though, and so referred to the nativity as the "animal fair"

stealthsquiggle · 17/04/2008 12:01

pofaced I am so impressed by your/your DC's restraint. By the end of Christmas, our advent calendar playmobil people/animals have joined forces with Christmas present people/animals and become part of the general community - so we have to get a new, different one the next year - hence 4 Santas .

You do have to allow lots of DC-free time to set it up, BTW, as they come as a box full of boxes and bits!

stealthsquiggle · 17/04/2008 12:18

I wonder how big the Indian market is for Playmobil - they would go for cricketers!

Kathyis6incheshigh · 17/04/2008 13:50

That's a good idea, probably huge.
Playmobil would need to sort out their attitude to people of differnt races first though (even the hospital staff are all white FGS!)

stealthsquiggle · 17/04/2008 14:09

Our police force is fairly multi-cultural!

hewlettsdaughter · 17/04/2008 14:18

I was just wondering (and this seems to be the thread to do it on) - do people generally set up new playmobil before giving it as a present? DD's 4th birthday is tomorrow and DH and I spent last night putting together the ambulance her grandad has got her because we thought it would be too fiddly for her/us to do in the morning. Not sure if we have denied her now!

SoMuchToBits · 17/04/2008 14:45

Think it depends on the age ofthe child. At 4, it might be a good idea, especially if she hasn't had previous Playmobil experience, or isn't particularly good at "construction" type activities. However, my 7 yr old ds would be really disappointed if he didn't get the chance to put it together himself. He enjoys that part of it as well as playing with it afterwards.

BettySpaghetti · 17/04/2008 16:00

I thought of you all today when I went to a local(ish) department store thats closing down -all the Playmobil was in the sale .

There was an abundance of the girly stuff I noticed but I don't think DS would be happy with that and DD is a bit too old to be buying stuff specifically for her (although shes happy to play with Playmobil generally).

Anyway I was with my Mum and DS so it was difficult to buy stuff for DS's birthday without him seeing. I think my Mum bought a fireman carry-along set and a vet with a trailer of pigs (?) for him. All I bought in the end was a magician which looks really cool. Might have to go back and buy some more when DS isn't with me

SoMuchToBits · 17/04/2008 16:03

We have the fire carry set - the fireman in it we have called Graham, and he is one of the lifeboat crew!

Where is the closing down sale ?

BettySpaghetti · 17/04/2008 16:06

Its a long way from you SoMuchToBits - in Hereford. Its one of those old-fashioned independent dept. stores (bit like Grace Bothers off Are You Being Served )

Currently its an invitation only sale (hence I went with my Mum who had an invite) but its open to the general public from tomorrow I think.

SoMuchToBits · 17/04/2008 16:09

What a shame! I don't even have any relatives in that area. If I were you I'd definitely go back without ds....

BettySpaghetti · 17/04/2008 16:11

If I get chance at the weekend I might try. There should be bigger reductions by then as its an Everything Must Go type sale. Trouble is there might not be much left once its open to the general public.

hewlettsdaughter · 17/04/2008 17:24

SoMuchToBits - that's kind of what we were thinking (ie depends on the age) - thanks. DD hasn't had any new playmobil before, just her brother's stuff.

Have fun at the sale, BettySpaghetti

FunkyGlassSlipper · 17/04/2008 17:25

hewlett's daughter - my DD got her first playmobil for her 4th birthday. She made it with us and was v excited about making it but got bored hakf way through. If there are any finishing touches perhaps you could leave them off for her to add.

BettySpaghetti · 17/04/2008 18:30

Hi HD -just remembered that I need to eamil you back about next month (so we can come and play with your Playmobil )

MilaMae · 17/04/2008 20:12

They used to do a supermarket, it looked fab. They need to bring that back.

A restaurant with loads of food bits would be good, a proper school building (the bunny thing wouldn't quite do it for my dc). A proper bus would be good(pref double decker) could rattle off several more.......

PigeonPie · 17/04/2008 20:33

MM my niece has got the supermarket (among many other things!) - it's great. However, my sister's OCD sometimes gets the better of her and she has to go in and put everything back on the shelves in order

SoMuchToBits · 17/04/2008 20:35

Yes the supermarket looked good. A bus would be great - we have the airport bus, but it is more of a coach really.

LIZS · 17/04/2008 20:39

Playmobil St George and Dragon heading for school tomorrow !

stealthsquiggle · 17/04/2008 21:40

Oi - Betty - I know you live somewhere near me - so tell (pretty please) where is this sale?

I have to know because half of MN has wound me up about cheap Playmobil from Sainsburys, so I went out of my way to stop there on the way home - huge Sainsburys (ex-Savacentre in Reading) - and no Playmobil at all [hoping Betty will take pity and point her in the right direction]

stealthsquiggle · 17/04/2008 21:42

Oh - and on the pre-assembly question - at 4, definitely (escept it makes it a lot harder to wrap!). DS is 5.6 and only just getting into following the instructions with us.

SoMuchToBits · 17/04/2008 21:43

Betty said it was in Hereford!

BettySpaghetti · 17/04/2008 21:44

Its at Chadds in Hereford -do you know it or are you more Midlands direction?

I know what you mean about the Sainsburys thing -theres none anywhere near me, I even phoned MIL to get her to check her local ones but no joy, they were sold out.

Chadds Playmobil isn't half price but any money off is better than nowt I suppose

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