To protect the acrylic paint from being removed by scratching, apply a clear varnish spray (gloss or matte). The Playmobil Pony Farm – Playmobil caters really well for kids who love the countryside, and this Farm set is a great base for a rural collection. Part of the Country collection, it features three pony figurines, a hayloft, an adaptable fence, and playpen for the ponies to strut their stuff. Playmobil's major competitor is Lego, but the two brands aren't really in the same category. While Lego's offerings are all about creativity and engineering, Playmobil's sets come fully formed, with much less practical work required to get them up and running.

Beginning with the Dutch market, Playmobil started to market a whole host of figures, from medieval knights, to Native Americans, and construction workers. It took a little time, but children started to fall in love with the toys, for their mixture of positivity and realism. When I build something, I’m not too concerned about having the most secure connections. As long as it looks good on display, it’s good enough for me. And this is also what I would expect from most fan-designed models. However, if LEGO is going to put their name on a model, I expect to see the strong fundamentals they incorporate in nearly every set they sell. Unfortunately, this model has issues.The Playmobil Castle – Also known as the Hawk Knight's Castle, this kit has a hefty price tag (even more than the Pirate Ship), but it justifies it, with secret trapdoors and staircases, workable draw-bridges, cannons, swords, bows and arrows, and plenty of space in the secure dungeon. It's a great starting point for a Dragon collection, or just an army of standard Playmobil Knights. It's worth noting here that Playmobil have come up with a special Playmobil: the Movie collection, featuring scenes from the film. So, if your kids adore the storyline and want to relive it for themselves, it's a good collection to browse. Often, buyers will need to work out what kind of toys to buy for boisterous boys. If that's your predicament, Playmobil offers plenty of possibilities. There are some old favourites, and some innovative new sets that all boys will enjoy grappling with. Here are some suggestions to get you started: I have designed 4 different types of this boat, each one can be combined with different accessories and used in a different playing scenario. Some parts of the catalogue deserve special mention here. For instance, Playmobil City Life is a particularly popular part of the collection, and has been since the late 1970s. This is the place to look for schools and fire stations, allowing kids and parents to craft imagined communities out of nothing.

With that in mind, you might be wondering what age is Playmobil suitable for? Well, the manufacturers suggest that an appropriate age range would be 4-10 years of age. That sounds about right. Below that point, kids will struggle with small figurines, and safety will be an issue. Above it, and children tend to graduate to more complex toys. But within that age range, Playmobil has captured millions of young imaginations across the world.

So let’s take this as an opportunity to learn from and see where the model had problems. I would like to emphasize again that it’s not my goal to bash the fan designer in doing so. As I mentioned before, these are mistakes I’d make as a fan builder myself. But by pointing them out, I hope to have others avoid these pitfalls. DIGITAL LEGO DESIGNS AREN’T REALITY

But the section that almost ended this build for me was the front-most side. On one end, it uses two clips to continue the wrap. On the other end, you have to thread an angled axle into a connector without seeing and without breaking the other side of the boat. In my attempts, I managed to disconnect the support that was supposed to anchor the side down. There are only four studs so it didn’t have a great grip. You can gingerly take off the roof of the pilot house to access the wheel. But you do have to be careful as there are sections that could break off. Then, there is the inner hull of the boat with a couple of bunks and a few items scattered around the area, but I’m disinclined to access it. The reason for this is that it is just too much risk and too much work. After that, global expansion was swift – just as it was for another European export, Lego. By the 1980s, figures were becoming slightly more customisable, with hands that gripped and could be rotated 360 degrees, as well as detachable headgear. Buildings swiftly joined figurines, as well as vehicles and other accessories, allowing kids to create elaborate townscapes and social situations. The idea of an expert-level LEGO fishing boat is a good one. This fan-created design manages to put in some real knowledge about a fishing boat and things you’d find on it. And at a glance, it looks decent enough. Unfortunately, the price you pay for this set is way beyond the experience you get out of it. The building process is stressful and poorly executed at times. This project felt as though LEGO didn’t bother helping the designer realize the best possible boat that could have been built.The Playmobil Crystal Palace – This dazzling ice palace costs slightly more than the Hawk Knights Castle. The centrepiece here is the lighting array, which uses 3 AAA batteries to illuminate the Crystal Throne. It comes with the Princes figurine, whose own skirt actually changes colour in different temperatures – a truly magical touch. However, there is one important exception to this age rating. Recently, Playmobil has launched a collection called 1-2-3, which caters for children under the age of 4. It features colourful, safe toys, with chunky designs that aren't based around small parts or jagged edges. If your toddler is into Vtech or Fisher Price toys, it could be a nice way to transition to more grown-up toys. Has two bases (slots), one in the front and one in the middle. The middle is for a seat or for the mast. The front can be use as is to hold any of your creations, or you can use the front_slot part for holding a playmobil cannon if you have. Taking a completely different approach, Playmobil Country includes an array of rural-themed characters, as well as cottages, farming equipment, farm animals, and much more. And the Playmobil Crystal Palace range has a wonderful fairy tale theme that little princesses will adore.