Some toys are made to last, and Playmobil is as timeless as they come. For over thirty years now, the German company has stuck to its tried and true formula of 7.5 cm tall plastic figures and a whole lot of imagination to keep children all over the world entertained. Before you consider buying fancy electronics for your kids this year, why not consider a classic?
The strength of Playmobil’s line of toys has always been its understanding of childhood creativity. There are currently 35 different themes available and another 21 that are discontinued. A quick search for Playmobil products online will yield everything from dinosaurs to a ghost pirate ship. All of these products are priced well below most modern electronics and can be built upon to guarantee hours upon hours of enjoyment. And while there’s nothing wrong with PS3 consoles as gifts for kids, for a fraction of the price there really is no better present for children ages six to twelve than a Playmobil toy.
Another striking feature of Playmobil toys is their realism. While the plastic people themselves haven’t changed much over the years, the level of detail on the city life toys such as boats, trains, and fire engines can be striking. The company has encouraged the use of these toys as learning tools in America by creating a grant program for teachers of grades pre-K through 3. Teachers who develop a lesson plan using Playmobil toys can receive up to 1400 USD in grant money for demonstrating creativity in the classroom.
It should be noted that Playmobil isn’t the only company using toys as educational resources. Developers have been working to create a number of fun learning games for the Nintendo DS, including games teaching maths, science, music, and foreign languages. The Nintendo DSi is the latest in the system’s line, and a cheap DSi can be had for around £100.
