I don't really see most Playmobil playsets as building toys, though assembling the Playmobil Family Van playset (Compare Prices) made me wonder if it was intended to be one. Assembling the car and the boat trailer took some doing, but now that they're together I'm loving this toy.
The van's windshield and back come off for Jeep-style driving (and easy loading of driver, passengers and accessories) and the boat is quite detailed. Kids can lower the outboard motor and crank up the winch to pull the boat on board.
Oddly, the adult figures don't fit behind the wheel so the kids have to drive the boat, but that's just a weird design issue. The teeny-tiny pieces add to the fun factor because kids can play "picnic" or "beach trip," but they're already scattered across my house. I guess watching Daddy find a tiny sand bucket lodged between his toes is part of the fun.
One other thing to note: If you're frustrated with toys manufactured in China, Playmobil toys come from Germany!
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
I LOVE all Playmobil toys. they are such great quality.
Another amazing thing about Playmobil is that if you misplace a part they will send you that spare teeny tiny bit that you lost in the mail!!