# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/41 "2010-12-01T20:08:11Z")
Do they have it at Toys R Us or something? I got my daughters a $300 dollhouse for under $200 since it was on sale and I had a 15% off coupon. You might really be able to get it a lot cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/42 "2010-12-01T21:04:20Z")
> [@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. I’m 49.0 and I think they’re awesome, especially the castle. Can I have one? Please please please? I promise I’ll never ask for another present ever again! ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/43 "2010-12-02T02:15:44Z")
I have a Playmobil hazmat crew on my desk right now. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/44 "2010-12-02T02:27:21Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m 49.0 and I think they’re awesome, especially the castle. Can I have one? Please please please? I promise I’ll never ask for another present ever again! Heh, this takes me back to one of [my favorite toys](http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_570xN.93702581.jpg) when I was a kid. Playmobil looks great, but . . . won’t someone think of the Little People? ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/45 "2010-12-02T04:15:30Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Heh, this takes me back to one of [my favorite toys](http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_570xN.93702581.jpg) when I was a kid. > > Playmobil looks great, but . . . won’t someone think of the Little People? That is the greatest toy ever…the “jail” and the trap door and the hidden room behind the stairs… Little People are the best. 🙂 ---
**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 2, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/46 "2010-12-02T16:49:40Z")
Ditto. Love the old Fisher-Price “Little People” stuff. The new stuff, where the people actually look like people, not nearly so much. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/47 "2010-12-02T16:59:30Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Heh, this takes me back to one of [my favorite toys](http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_570xN.93702581.jpg) when I was a kid. > > Playmobil looks great, but . . . won’t someone think of the Little People? [12 Angry Little People](http://video.adultswim.com/robot-chicken/12-angry-little-people.html). (Link goes to video) ---
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/48 "2010-12-02T17:28:47Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > When I was a kid my parents would only buy us LEGO and they would tell my brother and I to “make our own toys” with them. We felt it was a cop-out and a great injustice at the time, but now I realize my parents were brilliant. Thank you for the idea. Now to convince my parents to do that for my 7 year old brother. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/49 "2010-12-03T00:22:18Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Heh, this takes me back to one of [my favorite toys](http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_570xN.93702581.jpg) when I was a kid. > > Playmobil looks great, but . . . won’t someone think of the Little People? Holy cow, you just hit me with a big ball of nostalgia. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/50 "2010-12-07T12:16:55Z")
Guess what . . . I ordered this hospital and it arrived yesterday. Looks like a _lot_ of assembly, but that’s OK, as I’ve got a while before Christmas and I can work on it a bit at a time during my lunch break. But my main concern is – can it be _disassembled_? There are these little yellow and red pins that fit snugly into sockets to fit the floors and walls together. After that’s done, though, is it possible to take them apart again without damaging the set? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/51 "2010-12-07T12:23:14Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Guess what . . . I ordered this hospital and it arrived yesterday. Looks like a _lot_ of assembly, but that’s OK, as I’ve got a while before Christmas and I can work on it a bit at a time during my lunch break. Why don’t you let your daughter assemble it? At the age of 10, she should be able to do it almost as well as you, and building it should be half of the fun. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/52 "2010-12-07T12:37:48Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Why don’t you let your daughter assemble it? At the age of 10, she should be able to do it almost as well as you, and building it should be half of the fun. My daughter’s four, and she gets easily frustrated when things don’t fit together right – as in, smashing the object in question and refusing to look at it any more. But you’re right, if we keep up with the Playmobil stuff for a few years, then we can assemble stuff together and that will be fun. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/53 "2010-12-07T12:46:03Z")
Why do \*you \* need to assemble it? Your daughter is 10… Surely a good parent-child time can be spent _building it together_. Heck, your daughter is 10… Let her spend the whole Christmas vacation building it! Heck, I got a dollhouse when I was 5-6. Guess what? It was not assembled. Mom and I spent a whole day painting it and building it together. One of the best memories I have of that toy. Much more appreciated, and slightly better taken care of, considering _I_ took a part in creating it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/54 "2010-12-07T12:47:44Z")
Ok, so the first part of my reply makes no sense. That said, at that age, she can at least help with stuff. And again, good parent-child time. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/55 "2010-12-07T12:50:21Z")
Never mind, sorry I asked. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/56 "2010-12-07T13:02:57Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > My daughter’s four, and she gets easily frustrated when things don’t fit together right – as in, smashing the object in question and refusing to look at it any more. But you’re right, if we keep up with the Playmobil stuff for a few years, then we can assemble stuff together and that will be fun. Sorry – I was confusing you with the OP, **AWB**. That said, I think your daughter might have more fun if you built it together. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/57 "2010-12-07T13:59:36Z")
Certainly, and I’ll leave some of the bigger pieces to put together at the last stage. But this thing is a behemoth with literally hundreds of pieces, many of them less than a centimeter wide, distributed across several different sealed packages. The manufacturer’s own suggested assembly time is two hours, but I’d add at least an hour to that. I’ll do at least a little preparation beforehand in the interest of a harmonious Christmas morning. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/58 "2010-12-07T14:24:39Z")
Have you checked on Ebay for more affordable options? Personally, I’d buy this for my 10 year old in a heartbeat if she asked. She wants an Ipod. (she’s not getting one.) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/59 "2010-12-07T14:37:23Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Certainly, and I’ll leave some of the bigger pieces to put together at the last stage. But this thing is a behemoth with literally hundreds of pieces, many of them less than a centimeter wide, distributed across several different sealed packages. The manufacturer’s own suggested assembly time is two hours, but I’d add at least an hour to that. I’ll do at least a little preparation beforehand in the interest of a harmonious Christmas morning. As the mother of a 5 year old, I hear ya! Not only harmony, but there’s something really wonderful about that wide eyed gasp of joy when they see The Big Gift all set up under the tree when they wake up. Santa never wraps The Big Gift in our household for just that reason! (Besides, let’s be honest, a 4 year old’s “help” putting together something like that will add \*many \*hours to the frustrating set up part of play.) ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368/60 "2010-12-07T16:10:31Z")
sorry, but 10 years old and playing with a $100+ duplo set? some dreams are just destined to be shattered. legos i’d understand. they’ve got all sorts of replay value. you can build houses, castles, cars, spaceships, etc. a hospital set? how many different games of “doctor” can she dream up? just stick with legos. it’s the perfect toy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-wants-an-age-inappropriate-toy-for-xmas/562368.md?page=4)