# Daughter wants an age-inappropriate toy for Xmas **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 30, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368 "2010-11-30T03:54:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/21 "2010-11-30T16:00:06Z")
My youngest daughter wanted “Polly Pocket” sets well into her teenage years. Polly Pockets were teeny-tiny doll figures (maybe half an inch high) that came with little houses/barns/etc about the size of a purse. I believe they were marketed to the 4-8 year old crowd. She grew up normal in every way and the Polly Pocket sets (now stored in our basement) didn’t seem to harm her in any way. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/22 "2010-11-30T17:07:21Z")
I played with Legos until I was 16, toys are enjoyed in the imagination. ---
**Author:** ![eno801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@eno801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eno801)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/23 "2010-11-30T17:22:21Z")
hell i would play with that now it looks awesome ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/24 "2010-11-30T17:32:25Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Does she have any Clicks already? If she doesn’t, then yeah, she’s just having a case of Glitter Gets In Your Eyes, but Clicks aren’t really age-limited. My brothers’ Clicks, and the Clicks of their friends, got played with since they were “age appropriate” until their owners left for college; pretty much any house in our town where there have been children in the last 30 years has one or three old soap boxes (5 or 10l ones) full of Clicks. > > The Kidlet is getting his first Clicks next Christmas (the first ones that will actually be his, that is; he’s had access to the previous generation’s old ones for over two years). We expect them to be a frequent feature for at least ten years… What are Clicks? ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/25 "2010-11-30T17:45:45Z")
I am 34 years old, and I think that looks cool. I’d say buy it, unless it is a million dollars or something. It encourages imaginative play, which hopefully your daughter will never outgrow. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/26 "2010-11-30T20:18:17Z")
Another vote for “What age-inappropriateness?” Looks like a fun toy for make-believe and creativity. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/27 "2010-11-30T22:40:56Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > What are Clicks? I think ‘Clicks’ is the Spanish term for Playmobil. Put me in the 'That looks awesome" camp. Playmobil rocks… I still kind of miss my Green (must be a German thing) police car from the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Registered\_at\_Last](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@Registered\_at\_Last](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Registered_at_Last)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/28 "2010-11-30T23:12:11Z")
My nephew, who is now in 2nd year of Med school, had all his playmobile medical sets meticulously arranged in his room well into his teen years. My kids (much younger) could never understand why they were not allowed to play with them! But of course, they would have contaminated the sterile field! As others have said, Playmobile is one of those toys with a long play potential. It is a tool to encourage the imagination. So I would say go for it, but maybe not the whole hospital … I am sure there is a smaller medical set. (Seb had a whole room of them … I know the sets come in different sizes and price points) Oh yeah, my now 12.5 year old still has playmobile on his Christmas list. And that along with Lego get the most play of any toy. (The ones with screens would get more if only I would allow it 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/29 "2010-11-30T23:15:02Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I played with Legos until I was 16, toys are enjoyed in the imagination. My wife brought me the [Lego Fallingwater](http://www.amazon.com/Lego-4562577-Architecture-Fallingwater-21005/dp/B002IXYSGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291158728&sr=8-1) set for our anniversary this year, and I’m 30! I saw it in the Guggenheim gift shop earlier in the year and commented that it looked cool, so I was impressed. I think this looks fine for a 10 year old if she wants it, although it is a lot of money and I might not buy it for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/30 "2010-12-01T00:20:52Z")
Freudian Slit: > [@](#): > > What are Clicks? [Clics](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_toys-and-games?_encoding=UTF8&node=165793011&field-brandtextbin=Clics) ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/31 "2010-12-01T00:22:16Z")
I still play with Lego and I am 44. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/32 "2010-12-01T04:46:53Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > I still play with Lego and I am 44. I do too, and I’m 46. When I still had my own set as a teen, I would build futuristic space ships, airplanes. Then I would hang them from strings in my ceiling (like my brother did his Revell models), then load up my homemade rubber band gun and blast them to pieces. 🕶 The great thing is, you could rebuild them or modify them without glue or having irreparable damage. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/33 "2010-12-01T08:22:54Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > I think ‘Clicks’ is the Spanish term for Playmobil. > > Put me in the 'That looks awesome" camp. Playmobil rocks… I still kind of miss my Green (must be a German thing) police car from the 1980s. Yeah, sorry, Playmobil is the brand and the little dolls are Clicks. Playmobil makes other things too, or at least they used to. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/34 "2010-12-01T12:54:45Z")
Another voice of “I don’t really think that’s age inappropriate”. Expensive? Yes. And if that’s reason not to get it, I simply wouldn’t get it and not mention it. This is exactly why I tell my kids they can put anything they like on their list, but shouldn’t expect to get all of it; wish lists are lists of wishes, not an order form for gifts. But honestly? If I could afford it, I’d get it. It encourages free play and imaginative use of objects (good for both creativity and math skills), and it’s just a lot of fun. And it’s possible that she’s feeling a little pressured to grow up too fast and this is her way of putting the brakes on that. Goodness knows in today’s world, a girl has to fight to stay a girl because every g-d toy manufacturer out there wants her to want to be 20. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/35 "2010-12-01T13:06:16Z")
Playmobil is fun stuff, a mature four would be the minimum age for that particular set imo. 10 is NOT too old to enjoy opportunities for creative role playing - For my 12yo this year she hinted at a play set for those silly shitzsu hamster thingies she has. Gotta have a little xmas bling bling in the morning! Even after they grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/36 "2010-12-01T14:06:28Z")
Heck, if you want to talk age-inappropriate, tell her the toy’s too expensive and she’ll have to earn the money herself. Which she does. By becoming an underage prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/37 "2010-12-01T16:29:47Z")
> [@Grey](#): > > Playmobile looks baby-ish but isn’t really. Both my boys (9.5 and 7.5) love it and want [this](http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-CA-Site/en_CA/Product-Show?pid=4276&cgid=) and [this](http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-CA-Site/en_CA/Product-Show?pid=3268&cgid=) for Christmas. You should see my basement - covered in Lego and Playmobile armies see-sawing back and forth in an eternal bid for global domination. > > Since dad actually has to pay for the gifts they wont be getting the castle but they might get the galley. I’m 32 and I think that ship looks cool. My younger step-brothers and I used to play with their playmobile stuff when I was 19 and still living at home. They had a castle and some accessories. I was always the bad guy storming the castle. I even made some home-made catapults. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/38 "2010-12-01T17:04:44Z")
> [@AWB](#): > > I’m thinking that when she has over friends of the same age, she might end up being embarrassed with her toy choice. But I’m not sure how to convey that to her, or convince her that she really doesn’t want this toy. By the way, does anyone else think trying to “convince her that she really doesn’t want” something that she wants is maybe not a great idea? I’m honestly not trying to be snarky or judgmental, and maybe it’s just the way you worded that sentence, but it rubs me the wrong way a little bit. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/39 "2010-12-01T17:08:37Z")
Have you asked her specifically what it is about the Playmobil Hospital that she likes so much? ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/40 "2010-12-01T18:25:00Z")
When I read the thread title, I thought your daughter was requesting Grand Theft Auto or some hookers and blow, or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368.md?page=3)