# duplo or playmobil?



## veganmama

right now, my 2.5 yr old doesnt care which one i get. to me, duplo looks much easier for him to pretend play with (not for building aspect, just pretend play) since they have so many small chunky themed boxes like construction, trains and cars. 

the thing is, is that playmobil looks more realistic, but it looks harder to play with (getting the people to sit, opening the tops of the vehicles to put them in)

basically what im asking is, what do your kids have and if you have both which do you prefer? 

im leaning towards duplo right now, but im afraid when he gets older hell want all the duplo vehicles (police, fire, cars etc.) more realistic like playmobil and then ill have to spend more money buying the same vehicles. and if i dont buy the same vehicles and just switch the playmobil, then its like stuff from 2 different sets which is weird


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## tommyg

I'm a huge Lego fan so id say Duplo it has more options. A few themed sets with a bucket of bricks can fuel the imagination. A few weeks back we built a house so the firemen had some people to rescue and a fire to put out. The house then morphed into a space ship while watching Star Wars.
Some people will argue that duplo and playmobil are very different toys but I can see where you are coming from as see I as a one or other?
At my mums house there are 2 different aeroplanes a duplo and a playmobil DS plays with them both but the playmobil does my head in as he is constantly pulling bits of it that aren't meant to come off. Ok the playmobil one is standard playmobil rather than stuff for under 3s but I also think the duplo people are nicer.


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## lovelylaura

So we have both and I would say they will out grow duplo by 4ish but playmobil will last much longer it's much easier to play with than thought and so durable. They have an ambulance that gets played with all the time it all comes apart really easily and goes back easy too. I've brought a lot of playmobil for Christmas.


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## lovelylaura

Do you know someone who has them and you could go and play? My friend didn't think much of playmobil but since coming over she really loves it now.


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## RaspberryK

My ds has grown out of dupli, he's on lego and playmobil. Xx


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## AngelofTroy

Micah's younger than your LO but since playing with 'proper' Lego, and playmobil at my parents house (my old toys!) he much prefers those and plays more imaginatively with them. He is getting a playmobil camping set (the real stuff not the 123) for Christmas which I know he'll love. We also bought some duplo which we got months ago and actually I'm worried it's 'too young' already and won't get much use.


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## aimee-lou

My 2.5yo loves playmobil but currently gets more from duplo/mega bloks. He cant use half the little pieces as he doesn't have the dexterity. I plan getting playmobil for him 3rd birthday and next Christmas but at the moment its duplo all the way.


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## Tigerlilyb

Another thing to bear in mind about duplo is that it's compatible with lego so you can still use it when they're a bit older. Just lump it in with the smaller bricks, like this: 
https://i.stack.imgur.com/hUQoT.jpg


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## jd83

My older son hasn't really gotten into Playmobil much. I bought him a set for Christmas to see if he plays with it before buying more, but he hasn't shown much interest in it at play dates where other kids had sets. He does like Lego/Duplo, so I bought several sets of those with a few buckets of random bricks. I would say it depends on the child which they show more interest in. Has your lo gotten to play with both kinds to see which kind interests more?


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## SarahBear

Why not for building? That's the awesome part about duplo. You can be SO much more creative because it's a more flexible medium with which to play and pretend as a result of being able to build with them. We have duplos and do not have any play mobil stuff. Duplo is Violet's favorite toy right now. If we go to a restaurant, we take a bag with duplo bricks and books. She especially likes the duplo people and the parts with wheels. She likes to take the car part off the wheels and do her own building on the wheels.

I'm sure she would enjoy play mobil, but I doubt it would hold her attention as long since there's not as much you can do with it.


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## felix555

Duplo for us because my LO likes building things.

Was going to get playmobil for Christmas but I don't think it would really hold his attention as long as Duplo does.


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## minties

My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.

I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.

We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.


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## teal

Playmobil breaks apart all the time for us. My son loved duplo and now loves lego!


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## tommyg

minties said:


> My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.
> 
> I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.
> 
> We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.

20-24 mths is almost too young for duplo hence the fustration of it coming apart. Nearer 2.5 they are able to start building it themselves.


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## felix555

tommyg said:


> minties said:
> 
> 
> My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.
> 
> I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.
> 
> We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.
> 
> 20-24 mths is almost too young for duplo hence the fustration of it coming apart. Nearer 2.5 they are able to start building it themselves.Click to expand...

I think it depends on the child, my LO is 19 months and happily sits and builds stuff and then takes it apart again. 

Sorry not having a go! just don't want people with kids that age to be put off duplo.


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## hattiehippo

My DS has duplo, Lego and playmobile tbh. He was lucky to be given all his older cousins duplo once they'd outgrown it and DH had loads of his old Lego which they play with together.

Playmobil and duplo/Lego are very different toys. Lego/duplo is brilliant for building and being creative but my DS has pretty much outgrown the duplo now at nearly 5. He is getting better at building things with Lego but still needs quite a lot of help and tends to just want to build castles all the time.

Playmobil is better as they get older as it's brilliant for role play and although you can't make each thing into something different, you can mix all the sets etc up and come up with whatever you want really. DS's favourite game at the moment is to set his playmobil soldiers and princesses up on the island fort and then the pirates come and try and steal the treasure but are stopped by the unicorns and fairies!


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## SarahBear

felix555 said:


> tommyg said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> minties said:
> 
> 
> My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.
> 
> I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.
> 
> We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.
> 
> 20-24 mths is almost too young for duplo hence the fustration of it coming apart. Nearer 2.5 they are able to start building it themselves.Click to expand...
> 
> I think it depends on the child, my LO is 19 months and happily sits and builds stuff and then takes it apart again.
> 
> Sorry not having a go! just don't want people with kids that age to be put off duplo.Click to expand...

Agreed. They are recommended for the age range of 1.5 to 5 and I found a year and a half a perfect time to introduce them. Violet is 25 months and duplo has been her favorite toy for a while now.


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## minties

tommyg said:


> minties said:
> 
> 
> My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.
> 
> I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.
> 
> We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.
> 
> 20-24 mths is almost too young for duplo hence the fustration of it coming apart. Nearer 2.5 they are able to start building it themselves.Click to expand...

I don't agree. Mine could build with duplo from 12 months happily. They outgrew it for sure by 24 months. Sophie can make cars and birds and some other neat things from lego. Thomas has long since left duplo in the dust.

We did already have a large lego collection of probably 60,000 pieces at the time though so lego was introduced pretty early. It really helped Thomas' fine motor skills. Honestly there are only so many walls and giant chunky animals and planes that fall apart that the kids could stand before it got boring.

They can both use the tool to take lego apart and the frustration tantrums long since stopped since I put duplo away.

I'm not too bothered by what other kids use but I know for sure mine outgrew duplo. We are a lego obsessed house though so they were bound to want to play with mummy and daddy's small bricks earlier.


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## SarahBear

minties said:


> tommyg said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> minties said:
> 
> 
> My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.
> 
> I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.
> 
> We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.
> 
> 20-24 mths is almost too young for duplo hence the fustration of it coming apart. Nearer 2.5 they are able to start building it themselves.Click to expand...
> 
> I don't agree. Mine could build with duplo from 12 months happily. They outgrew it for sure by 24 months. Sophie can make cars and birds and some other neat things from lego. Thomas has long since left duplo in the dust.
> 
> We did already have a large lego collection of probably 60,000 pieces at the time though so lego was introduced pretty early. It really helped Thomas' fine motor skills. Honestly there are only so many walls and giant chunky animals and planes that fall apart that the kids could stand before it got boring.
> 
> They can both use the tool to take lego apart and the frustration tantrums long since stopped since I put duplo away.
> 
> I'm not too bothered by what other kids use but I know for sure mine outgrew duplo. We are a lego obsessed house though so they were bound to want to play with mummy and daddy's small bricks earlier.Click to expand...

Kids really are quite different. I'm pretty impressed that your kids were putting things together at 12 months! I don't think Violet would have understood putting things together like that at that age. She also would have had no interest. Your kids also sound advanced with their fine motor skills. 

I think the main message of this whole thread is that there is quite a range for when things become appropriate or when kids outgrow things.


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## RaspberryK

The only issue I would have with the smaller peices is that duplo can be left with young children unattended. 
I try not to have the lego out unless I can supervise ds because of the potential of swallowing, choking and putting in ears etc ... he's not generally that type of kid but it only takes the once, he did shove a whole slice of ham up his nostrils once so I don't 100% trust him with small peices on his own yet. 
Xx


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## SarahBear

RaspberryK said:


> The only issue I would have with the smaller peices is that duplo can be left with young children unattended.
> I try not to have the lego out unless I can supervise ds because of the potential of swallowing, choking and putting in ears etc ... he's not generally that type of kid but it only takes the once, he did shove a whole slice of ham up his nostrils once so I don't 100% trust him with small peices on his own yet.
> Xx

Definitely a good point. Violet isn't "than kind of kid" either, but she's only 2. She's bound to experiment or think something like that is funny at some point or other. She's also more likely to do that sort of thing when she's tired.


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## RaspberryK

SarahBear said:


> RaspberryK said:
> 
> 
> The only issue I would have with the smaller peices is that duplo can be left with young children unattended.
> I try not to have the lego out unless I can supervise ds because of the potential of swallowing, choking and putting in ears etc ... he's not generally that type of kid but it only takes the once, he did shove a whole slice of ham up his nostrils once so I don't 100% trust him with small peices on his own yet.
> Xx
> 
> Definitely a good point. Violet isn't "than kind of kid" either, but she's only 2. She's bound to experiment or think something like that is funny at some point or other. She's also more likely to do that sort of thing when she's tired.Click to expand...

She may or may not, we have never really "baby proofed" the house and he's had exposure to lots of things that children generally like to fiddle with or put in their mouth and he never bothered so far. I'm not sure if it's just his personality or if he just hasn't decided to play that game yet. 
I remember one of my brothers always putting things where he shouldn't, he once drank a bottle of olbas oil (menthol stuff for clearing blocked nose etc), unscrewed a nut from a bolt on his school desk aged 5 and had to go to a&e for removal almost had to put him under ga/operate :wacko: 
So I'm on the watch out for it! 
Xx


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## Cinnamon Girl

I think a deciding factor will also be your pain threshold. 

Which is worse when stood on.


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## jd83

Cinnamon Girl said:


> I think a deciding factor will also be your pain threshold.
> 
> Which is worse when stood on.

I just saw a pic on FB this morning of the "Walk of Lego Fire" where someone had made a rectangle crate and filled with small Lego to be walked on as a challenge. Yeah, I wouldn't be able to complete that one. LOL


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## minties

SarahBear said:


> minties said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> tommyg said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> minties said:
> 
> 
> My kids lost interest in duplo around age 20-24 months. Both got frustrated with how easily it falls apart and how chunky it is. Playmobil isn't that popular here so I can't comment on that.
> 
> I heard "it keeps breeeaaaking!!!" followed by a toddler in a rage way too many times so duplo was put away.
> 
> We are a big lego loving family so Thomas got some regular lego from about 20 months and now Sophie also enjoys it.
> 
> 20-24 mths is almost too young for duplo hence the fustration of it coming apart. Nearer 2.5 they are able to start building it themselves.Click to expand...
> 
> I don't agree. Mine could build with duplo from 12 months happily. They outgrew it for sure by 24 months. Sophie can make cars and birds and some other neat things from lego. Thomas has long since left duplo in the dust.
> 
> We did already have a large lego collection of probably 60,000 pieces at the time though so lego was introduced pretty early. It really helped Thomas' fine motor skills. Honestly there are only so many walls and giant chunky animals and planes that fall apart that the kids could stand before it got boring.
> 
> They can both use the tool to take lego apart and the frustration tantrums long since stopped since I put duplo away.
> 
> I'm not too bothered by what other kids use but I know for sure mine outgrew duplo. We are a lego obsessed house though so they were bound to want to play with mummy and daddy's small bricks earlier.Click to expand...
> 
> Kids really are quite different. I'm pretty impressed that your kids were putting things together at 12 months! I don't think Violet would have understood putting things together like that at that age. She also would have had no interest. Your kids also sound advanced with their fine motor skills.
> 
> I think the main message of this whole thread is that there is quite a range for when things become appropriate or when kids outgrow things.Click to expand...

Thomas was always good with his hands (he's about even with kids his own age now) and clicked mega bloks (large ones) together around 7 months. He was trying to grab things at 6 weeks. Sophie was not as advanced in that way but talks a lot better than he did. Thomas can't read or write like lots of kids on here can, but he sure knows how to click things together .


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## veganmama

Cinnamon Girl said:


> I think a deciding factor will also be your pain threshold.
> 
> Which is worse when stood on.

and which is the answer?????


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## veganmama

thanks for all the responses ladies!!

i dont know why, but lego looks so boring to me lol. duplo looks much more fun to play with ;D 

but of course its not about me


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## tommyg

veganmama said:


> Cinnamon Girl said:
> 
> 
> I think a deciding factor will also be your pain threshold.
> 
> Which is worse when stood on.
> 
> and which is the answer?????Click to expand...

Lego is really sore to stand on like standing on a sharp stone. Duplo being bigger isn't so sore some how it's corners aren't quite so sharp.


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## KatieB

I've bought some Duplo for one of Alex's presents. He turns two on 28 December and I think he'll love them.


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## Marie000

personally, I like both. However I never considered them in the same category... duplos we use for building and playmobils are great for pretend play. The duplos we have are random bricks, which I find more interesting than the kits where you build one thing. (they remind me more of the way I played with legos when I was young)

For the playmobils, we have some playmobil 123 and they are great for little kids. I don't think my daughter would swallow smaller pieces in regular playmobil (she's passed that age) but they look like they are more difficult to handle. I am hoping playmobil will have a lasting appeal since even the 123s are less "baby-style" than, say, fisher price's little people.


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